


The Solace Twins

by chocobocolollie



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types, Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan, The Heroes of Olympus - Rick Riordan
Genre: F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-13
Updated: 2018-07-13
Packaged: 2019-06-09 15:16:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 45
Words: 125,454
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15270309
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chocobocolollie/pseuds/chocobocolollie
Summary: Skylar Solace is the twin sister to Will Solace. The two have been through everything together. She lives out her days at camp half blood without much trouble. Basking on top of cabin roofs, caring for sick a Pegasus, even easing frightened campers into slumber with lullabies. That is until the arrival of two new half-bloods, Nico and Bianca. The very life she's known slowly changes into something foreign. Monsters are being released inside the camp. Powers she never knew existed start to awaken within her. Friendships will be put to the test and alliances will be forged for both good and evil. Honestly, Skylar always knew being friends with Percy Jackson would get her killed one day.





	1. Capture The Flag

The day Nico Di Angelo officially met Skylar Solace could only be described as interesting yet startling. More precisely it's known as the day she stuck him to a tree.

Camp Half blood bustled that afternoon in preparation for capture the flag. Chiron wanted the game to occur while The Hunters of Artemis were here. It was tradition to play a 'friendly' match. Everyone scrambled to sharpen their equipment and draw up battle plans. Percy and Thalia would be co-captains for Camp Half Blood's team. Having prepared in advance, a pair of twins sat atop the Apollo cabin basking in the sunlight.

"So you think we'll finally win a game against The Hunters? We do have Percy and Thalia leading us but they don't exactly mesh well together without Annabeth to intervene." Skylar says to Will, pulling her curly blonde hair into a low ponytail a few strands framing her freckled face.

"Who knows? Maybe I'll hang one of them from a tree by their pants." Her brother grins his blue eyes glimmering in the sunlight. Will is normally a very chill guy but when it comes to capture the flag he gets competitive. One time he hung an Ares kid by his underwear and stole the flag out from under him, campers talked about it for weeks. Skylar snickers at the memory brushing the dirt from her jeans as she stands. Her brother rises next to her and they both head toward the woods. It was time to show Artemis's maidens who the true master of a bow is.

The blue team assembles in front of the creek dividing two territories. It was a modge podge of the camp's available players. Connor and Travis Stoll stood alongside Nico Di Angelo decked out in bronze chest plates and helmets. She was never formally introduced to the dark haired boy but heard about him through Percy. His sister apparently joined up with the Hunters and he'll stay in the Hermes cabin until his godly parent claims him. A part of her was worried he'd be injured by the opposing team or worse by one of the many monsters residing in the forest. The rest of the team consisted of a few kids from the Ares cabin, Silena from Aphrodite and Charles Beckendorf from Hephaestus.

On the other side Zoë stood alongside Bianca Di Angelo and eleven hunters all armed with silver bows and arrows. They would act as the red team. Percy and Thalia argue amongst themselves as Chiron explains the rules. "No killing or maiming. All magical items are allowed. The entire forest is fair game. Anyone who crosses the creek with the opposing team's flag wins. Blue team shall take the west woods, red team shall take the east. Get to your positions when you hear the conch shell we will begin." The centaur says and both teams rush to their designated meeting place.

Thalia devised a simple enough plan to follow. Silena would take two of the Ares kids, Laurel and Jason, and act as a decoy. Meanwhile Thalia, the Stoll brothers, Will Solace and the remaining two Ares campers would launch a frontal assault into enemy territory. Percy, Beckendorf and Nico would play defense leaving Skylar as the scout. However Percy had other plans dragging the Stoll brothers to defend as well. Thalia either didn't have time to deal with it or did not realize the switch as a loud horn sounded signaling the start of the game.

"I hope you know what you're doing waterboy." Skylar smirked at Percy, disappearing into the treetops bow in hand. Cloaked in the shadows of the trees she hopped the branches silently keeping an eye out for the opposing team and any monsters that may be lurking about. Traversing amongst tree branches in enemy territory with barely any visibility was hard enough without the Hunters trying to sniff her out. After all they are brilliant trackers.

Sounds of metal against metal and explosions of the infamous fart arrows filled the air off to the left where Silena diverted their opponents. The right side of the forest was unusually quiet especially since monsters were always lurking about. Skylar's boots kicked off the branch she rested on to run along the forest floor. If she hurried she could do a little recon and get the information back to Percy. She would reconvene with Thalia but her position on the main front was farther from her location. On top of that she's known Percy longer and as such knew the son of Poseidon had another plan on his mind. Only one problem. Things never go according to plan.

In the rush to find the location of the opposing team she tripped one the traps Beckendorf installed. The trap was designed to immobilize the enemy by using a tough golden string the Apollo cabin developed for the infirmary. It's intended use is to sew up wounds while simultaneously speeding up the healing process due to the healing magic embedded in the fibers. The string was still in early development but it looks like Will found a use for the prototype. Right now his sister wanted to curse him as she dangled upside down with a strong golden thread wrapped tightly around her ankle.  _This is what happens when a team is thrown together at the last minute. No coordination whatsoever._ Skylar groans swaying slightly in the air.

Her quiver dropped to the ground below with a clatter as she managed to save two arrows in a last ditch effort. A low growling came not too far from her location. If she didn't free herself soon there will be one less twin at Camp Half Blood. Shouldering her bow and biting down on her last remaining arrows she unlatches a bronze dagger from her thigh in hopes to cut the string. After trying to snip the line a few times it finally breaks loose and she plummets to the ground. Twisting her body Skylar lands on her feet a dull pain pulsing through her left ankle. A Rustling in the bushes puts her on high alert. She nocked her two remaining arrows and pulled back on the bow string waiting patiently. The bushes shake louder and a figure emerges from the brush. Not taking any chances the arrows whiz through the air pinning them to the tree with a startled yelp. Wait, there isn't any monster dust.  _Oh no._

Skylar rushes closer to the tree, Nico Di Angelo's scrawny form appears before her blue eyes. Thank the gods her arrows didn't wound him only nailed him to the tree by the straps of his armor. The boy's chocolate eyes stare at the blonde in surprise through his oversized helmet. "We're on the same team! Is that even allowed?" He questions as the female releases him. "What's your name anyway?"

"I'm so sorry about that I thought you were a monster. The forest is full of them. I'm Skylar Solace." She smiles nervously at him.

"I'm not hurt so it's cool. I'm Nico. Nico Di Angelo." A small smile graces his lips.

"You're the new half-blood everyone's talking about. Your sister joined up with The Hunters of Artemis." Skylar states causing Nico to frown. He was trying not to think about his sister leaving him alone to join a group of bow wielding girls. The growling Skylar heard earlier was right next to them now. In the dim light filtering through the trees she could just make out the large body of a bloodthirsty hellhound.

"Holy Hades." Instinctively she stood in front Nico whom stared up at the monster with a mixture of fear and disbelief. The bronze sword he was given clutched limply in his fingers. He was still new to the whole demigod and monster thing but even he could see this was a bad situation. Skylar whom wasn't much older than him stood tense before him half her body shielding him from the beast's view. A faint yellow glow slowly wrapped around the girl's fingers. Something that happened when her emotions flared.  _Woman up. You can do this._ "Nico I'm going to count to three and you're going to jump to the right of the monster. If we time it right it'll be confused long enough for me to put an arrow in it's eye." She whispers hoping he can't hear the fear in her voice. Meanwhile the hellhound eyed the two children hungrily, it's large mouth dripping saliva onto the earthen floor.

Nico nods his head slightly and Skylar begins the countdown. "One...two...three!" The duo leapt into action. The daughter of Apollo snatched up two arrows from her abandoned quiver and launched them into the monster's skull as Nico leapt to the right his sword slashing the monster's paw. A pained howl boomed through the trees shaking the leaves from their slumber as the hound reared in pain one of it's paws swatting in Skylar's direction slashing her cheek and sending her into a tree. Blood oozes from the fresh wound the blonde struggles to her feet faltering slightly on her throbbing ankle. Her back flared in pain as she prepared to fire upon the beast. Across from her Nico kept the monster busy long enough for her to let loose more arrows into it's body successfully turning it to gold dust.

"So much for a friendly game of capture the flag." She tries to joke collapsing into the dirt. Nico sits beside her, his rush of adrenaline leaving him exhausted. Dirt covered his shaggy hair from dodging the hellhound. The only injuries he seemed to have was a cut along his jawline. Skylar was glad the hellhound went down quickly. Neither would of fared well in their condition. He wondered if the game was still going on. Most likely it was since Chiron has yet to blow the conch horn.

"W-what was that? Nobody told me monsters were going to attack us." Nico says directing his attention to the bleeding girl. Blood continued to drip from the cut on Skylar's face. She needed medical attention but Nico didn't know any nor did he have the strength to carry her back to camp.

"That was a hellhound." Skylar winces pressing her fingers gingerly against the claw mark. "We don't normally see many of them inside the camp."  _Someone had to of let it in._ Her fingers glowed as she sang a hymn to Apollo the cut healing just enough to stop bleeding. Sure she could heal herself fully but it sapped her strength and she might need it if another monster shows up. She'd stop by the infirmary once capture the flag has ended. Her hand lightly caressed his flushed face pouring her energy into repairing his small wound until it disappears completely. Nico watched in awe at her handiwork a small blush coating her cheeks after noticing him staring.

"You can heal? I wonder what kind of cool powers I'll get." He looks down at his hands with a tired smile. Skylar laughs softly ruffling his charcoal hair.

"I'm a daughter of Apollo healing is one of my specialties. Something tells me you're going to have a really cool talent." She smiles looking up at the sky through the canopy of trees. "I wonder how our team's doing. I sure hope Percy found an opportunity to strike." Skylar rises to her feet using her bow for support. It was a little crazy but she wanted to win now more than ever and sitting here wasn't getting her anywhere. Nico was wary about continuing he just wanted to take a very long nap. Before meeting up with Skylar he saw Percy take off after the opposing team's flag so that must be what she meant by opportunity. It's possible they might win after all.

The pair progressed silently through the forest back to the creek. Skylar leaned slightly against Nico to relieve some of the pain coursing through her body. There they met face to face with Bianca Di Angelo, Zoë Nightshade, Thalia and Percy Jackson having a standoff. Percy was the first to move lunging for the boundary line toppling Bianca in the process. Zoë dodged an attack from Thalia's shield and made a break for the boundary line. Skylar jumped after the girl attempting to tackle her but ends up with a face full of dirt as the hunter uses her body as a vaulting board. Percy passes the line a second two late with the silver flag in his grasp. Grinning triumphantly on the other side of the creek stood Zoë her silver tiara glimmering in the setting sun the blue team's flag clutched in her fingers. The red team won.

"You went head to head with a hellhound?! Are you out of your mind? You should of called for help or ran away!" Will Solace paced the floor of the infirmary. In front of him laid Skylar whom relaxed on a cot. After they lost she was escorted to the infirmary. Her swollen ankle rested atop a pillow after being wrapped in an Ace bandage. A bandaid covered her freckled cheek where the hellhound slashed the skin. Nectar worked it's way into her system as she relaxed into the pillows.

"You should be proud I held my own or better yet go thank Nico. I wouldn't be having this conversation if he didn't draw the monster away. We have more important things to worry about at the moment anyway." Skylar huffs as her brother plants himself in a chair next to her. She had a point. As soon as capture the flag ended the surrounding area was covered in green mist. Everyone watched in disbelief as the Oracle floated down the hill to stop in front of Zoë. After fulfilling her duty of providing a prophecy she fell limp and Chiron called an emergency meeting between the camp counselors.

Will runs a hand over his face glancing to the entrance of the infirmary where a boy was timidly poking his head into the room. A few action figures were in his hands. "Nico!" Skylar calls swinging her legs over the cot to walk over to him much to Will's dismay. She leaned on a spare crutch they had lying around as she walked. The blond boy grumbles stalking over to Kayla who was treating an Ares kid who had multiple broken limbs.

"Curfew is soon you should head back to the Hermes cabin." Skylar says leading him out of the infirmary.

"I know I just...I'm worried about my sister." Nico mumbles as they walk.

"Ah right the meeting isn't over yet. Truth be told Percy has me worried too and if there's to be a quest he'll want to go. He hasn't exactly had a level head since..."  _Since Annabeth disappeared._ Skylar shook the thought from her head choosing to look down at the figures in Nico's hands. "Wow those are awesome. What are they from?" She questions trying to steer the conversation on to something else.

Nico's eyes lit up at the question. "They're from Mythomagic! It's a card game and the rules are kind of complicated but it's really fun I promise."

"Do you think you could teach me how to play?" He could sense the genuine interest in her voice. Chocolate brown eyes met blue as Nico blushed. Nobody had been interested in Mythomagic since he arrived at camp. Even Percy somewhat brushed him off when he rambled about Zeus's attack power and whether he used real lightning bolts. The only one that listened to him was Grover but Nico could tell he wasn't really interested. Now here Skylar was his new...was she considered a friend? He hoped so since they took down a hellhound together and seemed to enjoy his company despite him not knowing his godly parent.

"Yeah! I'd be happy to!" The two stopped outside the Hermes cabin. Nico waves disappearing behind the door to his cabin. Skylar grins to herself as she makes her way to the Apollo cabin to turn in for the night. Tomorrow was sure to be an eventful day. She'd barely made it to her area of the cabin before falling asleep fully clothed. 


	2. Difficult Patient

The following morning Skylar sat basking in the early morning sunlight atop the cabin roof. Lee Fletcher is the one tasked with calling Skylar down for breakfast. She slides off of the roof with little trouble. Her injuries from last night’s capture the flag fully healed. “Morning Lee, any new patients?” Her blue eyes looking toward her half sibling during the walk to the mess hall.

“About that, how do you feel about animals?” Lee questions.

“I love them, why?” Skylar asks walking up the stone steps.

“A new Pegasus found it’s way into the stables. Chiron wants us to take charge to get it back on it’s feet.  It’s not in the best shape so the sooner it’s healed the better. If the situation doesn’t  improve by three days Mr. D wants us to….nevermind we won’t discuss that right now.” Lee says piling his plate with pancakes. Skylar grabs a bowl of cereal and an apple. The two offer bits of their food as an offering and sit with their siblings.

“I’ll skip out on archery practice today to check it out. I can see about getting help from Percy. Maybe he can get the horse to talk, tell us what happened to it.” She replied after swallowing a mouthful of cereal.

“Good luck with that. Doesn’t look like Jackson came to breakfast.” Michael speaks up from Will’s left side. She didn’t think much of it. It’s not unusual for Percy to sleep in sometimes. Sometimes her or Annabeth would have to drag him out of bed just to have him ready before noon.

“I have first shift at the infirmary this morning so I can’t show you. If you would, head to the stables and go all the way to the back. You’ll know which one when you see it.” Lee ends the discussion and Skylar could only hope it wouldn’t be so bad.

Nico searches for Skylar after breakfast a deck of Mythomagic cards in his hands. Brown eyes fall upon the young girl whom departs from her siblings to head toward the cabins. He hurries after her almost knocking down a few Aphrodite kids in the process. “Oops sorry!” Nico calls over his shoulder falling into step with the person he was looking for.

“Hey there Nico. I know I said we’d play Mythomagic but I need to stop here first.” The golden haired girl smiles brightly at him gesturing to Poseidon’s cabin. Nico fidgets nervously the closer they get. She knocks on the door lightly. “Hey Percy mind helping me out with something?” No answer. After knocking and calling for him a few more times she opens the door. Shuffling through the cabin there’s still no sign of her friend anywhere. Both his bed and bathroom were empty. Not to mention Nico’s been unusually quiet through the search.  _He knows something._

“Maybe he went to the beach? Or the arena?” Nico chimes in his hands stuffed in his jacket pockets. Skylar’s eyebrows furrowed at the thought. They didn’t have the time to look all over camp. Time was ticking so she decided to forget her original plan. Recruiting the help of Nico instead they set off for the stables.

Skylar led him through the wooden structure hopping over the occasional hay bale or chariot wheel. She noted Blackjack was missing as the pair walked by his stall.  _It’s never a good sign when both he and Percy are gone._ With an inward sigh she continues on.

It wasn’t exactly the cleanest place on the property. Pegasi and horses alike stood in their stalls munching on hay but the minute they caught sight of Nico they shied away. One Pegasus reared up trying to kick Nico as he walked by. Luckily Skylar pulled him away in time and they continued on after scolding the Pegasus he now knows to be Porkpie.

“I-I forgot horses don’t like me very much…” Nico murmurs sadly sticking close to his blonde companion. For as long as he could remember whenever he and his sister came in contact with horses they would either run away or attack out of pure fear.

“They just need to see what a good person you are.” Skylar tries reassuring him.

There in a dark corner of the stables sectioned off from the other animals laid the sickliest horse they’ve ever seen. What Skylar assumed used to be a dashing steed now looked like a walking corpse. It’s malnourished body sat atop a pile of hay with white and black feathers sprawled out on the floor. One wing stayed tucked close to his body while the other bent at an awkward angle blood staining the feathers. Twigs from the forest tangled themselves into it’s mane and tail. Sticky green mucus dribbled from it’s nose. Bloodshot eyes watched the pair like a hawk. He seemed to be drained of energy. The child of Apollo knew better though, an animal always found the energy to strike when they felt threatened.

A faint glow enveloped Skylar’s hands as her body shook. Tears pricked her ocean blue eyes and anger coursed through her veins. Nico whom sat behind her on a hay bale opting not to get too close to the pegasus looked at her nervously. He’d never seen her angry before so seeing it now put him on edge. Hesitantly he places a hand on the blonde’s shoulder startling her and successfully stopping the glowing around her fingers. Nodding a thanks Skylar takes a deep breath and calmly takes a step forward. As expected the pegasus struggles to it’s feet to snap at her with it’s teeth.

“Whoa there. Alright easy boy it’s okay.” Her hands raise slowly beckoning the horse to lay back down. “I just wanted to see what I’m working with.” She soothes backing away from him and pulling Nico gently to the back exit any plans of playing Mythomagic long forgotten. There was a lot to be done if she was going to save this horse’s life.

Connor and Travis Stoll intercept the pair after grabbing sandwiches from the mess hall. Skylar’s relationship with the brothers was decent enough. They played pranks on her sure, but nothing so major that she resented them. In fact she liked to join them occasionally in her free time to engage in practical jokes. “Hey guys.” Skylar greets and bites into her sandwich.

“You’re keeping our new cabin mate to yourself Skylar. We need him to help us with something.” Travis slings his arm around Nico’s shoulder.

“You won’t mind if we take him off your hands will you?” Connor inputs with a grin.

Skylar waves her hand dismissively a scowl adorning her pink lips. “Don’t treat Nico like an object. Just ask him if he wants to help you with a prank. He can make decisions for himself.”

Nico looks at the brothers with a smile. “I want to help! It sounds like it could be fun.” He turns to Skylar. “Are you coming too?”

The blonde ruffles his hair with a laugh. “Nah I have a few things to do so you go have fun I’ll see you at dinner tonight.” Nico nods, though slightly disappointed, and leaves with the Stoll brothers. Skylar watches them leave continuing to eat her sandwich. She was glad Nico seemed to be fitting in with other campers since his arrival at Camp Half Blood. This gave her an opportunity to work alone for a while while Nico was off causing a commotion with the Stoll brothers. She only hoped they went easy on him.

Nico glanced to Connor as they ducked behind the Aphrodite cabin. Travis departed from them to gather supplies for their next prank. "Are you sure this is a good idea? What if they catch us?"

"Relax the Aphrodite kids are all at flying lessons. Now let's go." Connor waves him inside after picking the lock on the door. Nico walks inside clutching a bag filled with bottles of hair dye. If everything went smoothly everyone in this cabin will have orange hair by tomorrow. Connor started emptying shampoo bottles in the bathroom leaving Nico to fill them with the orange dye. He was careful not to get any on his clothes. The same couldn't be said about his hands. His fingers looked like they were covered in cheeto dust by the time they finished. But he was having fun so it didn't matter. After filling the last bottle there's a noise coming from cabin door. Someone must of came back from practice early.

Nico turns to alert Connor only to find him missing the bathroom window wide open. He left me! The raven haired boy scrambles to climb out the window just managing to escape before the bathroom door opens. Getting to his feet he runs to the place he's supposed to meet Travis execution of the prank successful.

Of all the things to prank someone with Nico never would've thought of maple syrup, pegasus feathers and fishing line. The trio set to work filling buckets up with sweet syrup and feathers. Each bucket would be suspended amongst the tree branches attached to a piece of fishing line which stretched across the ground acting as a tripwire. That way when someone walks into the wire they'll be showered in sticky liquid and fluffy feathers. Now all they needed was a victim and who better to get revenge on than the Hunters of Artemis.

"We'll hide behind the tree to make sure things run smoothly. It's your job to get her to walk over here." Travis tells Nico a mischievous glint in his eyes.

"Why can't one of you do it?" Nico questions looking at the Hermes brothers.

"They're already wary of us after our little prank on Phoebe. Besides they won't see it coming if it's you." Connor butts in slinging an arm around his brother's shoulder. Nico nods slightly shoving his hands in his pocket and walking over to the hunter. A few minutes later he manages to get her to reluctantly follow him under the tree. Things went downhill from there. Nico misjudged where the trip wire was, coating not only the hunter but himself in maple syrup and feathers. Cries of outrage and laughter fills the air as the Stoll brothers emerge from their hiding spot. Both boys doubled over in laughter at Nico's embarrassed face.

"You were supposed to step over it!" Connor snickers.

The Hunter standing beside Nico growls in anger. "How dare you!" She reaches for the brothers who jump out of her reach and starts chasing them in the direction of strawberry fields. Alone, Nico trudges back to the Hermes cabin to shower and change. Plucking feathers from his black bedhead along the way. He couldn’t wait for dinner later.  
Skylar trudged up to the Apollo cabin. In a way she appreciated the alone time to dwell in her thoughts. Before even thinking of performing first aid on the pegasus she needed to gain it’s trust. With the state the animal is in there wasn’t much time.Ruffling her hair in frustration she enters the cabin to gather supplies. Will looks up from his book to greet her.

“Hey sis. You okay?” He questions marking his place in the book and walking over to Skylar as she packs a wicker basket with supplies. Her hands shake as she works and Will has to grab her hands to get them to stop. “I guess you saw huh? I tried to tell Lee not to get you involved but…” He let’s out a defeated sigh squeezing her hands in his own.

“It’s been neglected Will. I’m not even sure how it survived long enough to get here. We’re not Vets and there’s not a hundred percent chance it’ll last long enough for any of us to get close to it. Chiron entrusted its care to us but nobody has done anything.” Skylar says moving to pack the basket once more. Bottles of different medicines, Ace bandages, and a hairbrush along with a few apples from the bowl on her desk. Most of the damage could be healed by singing a hymn to their father. The medicine was just to speed up the process. The whole time Will watches her in silence his brain calculating a plan.

“Which is why both of us are going over there and we’re not quitting until that pegasus is the healthiest one of the bunch. What kind of twin would I be if I let you do this alone?” A body collides with his lean form in a hug. His sister’s blue eyes stare into his own with gratitude. Will ruffles her curly hair after returning the embrace. All of the siblings in their cabin were close but the two of them were inseparable. Whenever either of them had a problem they would work it out together. Working together became a habit between them so they just roll with it. Skylar mumbles something into his shirt with a smile and grabs her Lyre walking with Will back to the stables.

Will had heard about the pegasus from Michael Yew during Archery practice but he didn’t imagine it was this bad. It was understandable how emotional it made his sister after seeing it for himself. No one said the horse was basically knocking on death’s door. Even he wasn’t sure if they could do much but his sister was determined so he’ll stay by her side. The two decided one person would console the horse while the other stood off to the side ready to jump in if something went wrong. After arguing about who would have which job they just settle it with rock paper scissors leaving Will as the mediator. Skylar unclips the bronze dagger strapped to her thigh passing it to her brother. The last thing she wanted to do was spook the poor animal more with a weapon at her side. Will guaranteed he wouldn’t let anything happen to her and stood to the left just out of the pegasus’s reach.

Cautiously Skylar treads across the hay covered floor. A displeased whine comes from in front of her as she moves forward. The pegasus makes no move to intercept her much to their relief. She manages to close a good distance between them before the horse gets antsy. Raising her hands calmly in surrender she stops ten feet away and sits down on the spot. “You’re still wary but that’s alright. How about something to eat?” Slowly reaching behind her she grasps an apple in her fingers. The shiny red skin of the fruit glistened in the sunlight streaming through a hole in the roof. Baby brown eyes follow her hand hungrily. A flick of the wrist and the apple soars through the air landing in the jaws of the starving animal. Will tosses her another and they repeat the process until their basket is empty of the sweet fruit.

“He at least has an appetite. Think you can get any closer? Just...don’t get bit.” Skylar rolls her eyes at her brother inching forward until she’s only a few feet away. The female could only assume she overstepped when two hooved feet come barreling toward her skull. Faintly Will’s alarmed voice reaches her ears over the pounding of her heart. Instinctively her hands raise to shield her face. Blue eyes shut tightly in anticipation. A golden light explodes bathing the surrounding area in blinding sunlight.

Silence fell over them. Ocean eyes hesitantly open after realizing the attack has ceased. Horse hooves lingered above her only being stopped by a thin barrier. Skylar's palms were illuminated holding said barrier aloft preventing the pegasus from doing her harm. Will let's out a strangled gasp his eyes mixed with confusion and alarm. What just happened was a mystery. Although she was rather thankful not to have a hoof print in her skull. As the barrier starts to shatter Will jumps in and pulls her a safe distance away.

"H-How did you do that?" He asks examining his sister for injuries. The barrier seemed to left her unharmed much to his relief. He really didn't want his sister back in the infirmary.  

"I don't know. It was weird like an instinct I couldn't control and the barrier just appeared." Skylar looks down at her hands.The glowing had now ceased but left them shaking. Her eyesight started going dark. "I feel tired Will." She mutters slumping forward into his broad chest.

"Whoa hey don't fall asleep we need to figure this out!" Will shakes his twin only to be met with soft snoring. He scoops Skylar into his arms slightly glaring at the pegasus. "We're trying to help you. I know it's not easy for you to trust us but attacking every time someone gets close is crazy. My sister won't give up until you're better so you should think about behaving." Will huffs marching out of the stables and toward the Apollo cabin. He could've sworn the horse said 'I'm sorry' but assumed he was hearing things.

Will used the time Skylar was unconscious to do some research. Books sat open upon his desk in the corner. Most of them were about their dad and his history. Others told poems or haikus written by the sun god himself. One book in particular caught his attention. It was an old leather bound book  with yellowing pages and a crease in the cover. _Looks promising._  Inside told how in rare cases children of Apollo could harness the power of light and use it in ways other than healing.  _Like a barrier._ He thinks to himself and places the book in his desk. Will decided to keep quiet about it for the time being. His sister had enough to deal with and he didn’t want to stress her out any further.

Groaning from the other room alerts that Skylar is finally awake. Will walks to her bedside as she sits up rubbing her eyes. “Hey bro, is it time for dinner?” A loud smack fills the air as her brother facepalms in disbelief.

Their late arrival at dinner spurred some questions which they answered and filled Lee in on the details. Will advised that no one approaches the pegasus until it becomes comfortable around other people or their work would be in vain. Lee agreed and promised he’d relay the message to Chiron and Mr. D. Will slings an arm protectively around Skylar’s shoulders at the dinner table. He noticed how quiet she’s been since waking up. No one could blame her. You’d freak out too if force fields suddenly shoot from your hands. Neither of them discussed what happened back at the stable. When the shield appeared out of thin air they could hardly believe their eyes. Until finding out more she pleaded with Will to keep quiet. Maybe if she learned to control it better it could be used in battle. The twins ate in silence listening to their siblings talk about their days only throwing in a yes or no when prompted. They agreed to attend the campfire afterwards to wind down before bed. Possibly.

At the campfire Skylar sits on a log waiting for campers to arrive for the sing along. Her lyre resting on her lap. Will sat on her left plucking at his guitar strings. Nico Di Angelo plants himself on the right side of the golden haired teen his dark eyes mirroring the flickering fire light. After parting ways earlier he went on a pranking spree with the Stoll brothers.

“You look like you had an eventful day.” Skylar notes turning on the log to face him. Will nods his head in greeting.

“Yeah! It was a blast. My sister wouldn’t of approved though. She would've called it childish.” He told them how he assisted Connor in sneaking into the Aphrodite cabin and replacing their shampoo with orange hair dye. Even his little mishap involving maple syrup and pegasus feathers. Nico pouted as he explained the last part.

A pleasant laugh comes from beside him. Skylar sat beside him her hand slightly pressed against her mouth in a failed attempt to muffle the noise. Her blue eyes were closed in joy. The freckles adorning her sun-kissed cheeks glowed in the firelight that changed color to fit the happy mood. Even Will let out a chuckle at the poor kid’s expense. Nico gives in laughing alongside the twins thinking back on how silly he really looked. Skylar’s hand brushes his cheek lightly removing a white feather tangled in his raven locks.

“I bet it was a sight. You had fun and that’s what matters” She smiles twisting the feather between her fingers. Nico looks away from her with a small blush their conversation interrupted by singing.

Campers sat around the fire singing along with the Apollo children and enjoying each other’s company. Will opted to leave the two alone moving to sit with his friends. Nico finally got around to teaching Skylar about Mythomagic. She picked up on the rules fairly quickly and he helped her when she made a mistake. Soon enough they were going head to head their shouts melding with the voices around them. The Aphrodite kids all had striking orange hair but were still in high spirits. Skylar even noticed the Ares children who were injured in capture the flag sat on a log not singing but roasting hotdogs. Even a few of Artemis’s Hunters joined them tonight. Their minds were away from the current quest if only for one night.


	3. Progress

_You can do this. Just focus._ Relaxing her breathing Skylar walked toward the leery Pegasus. A disgruntled whine comes from in front of her but no snapping teeth.  _So far so good._  Aquamarine orbs meet bloodshot chocolate brown. “Easy now just stay seated. My brother and I are here to help. So if you’ll allow us we’ll take care of you.” Every so often she inches closer to the horse’s side. In turn the horse would try to move away only to fall back over in defeat. Skylar doesn’t stop moving until she’s right next to him. Once she’s close enough her hand slowly approaches the horse’s muzzle.

Surprisingly it inches closer to her hand, eyes closing at her warm touch. “That’s a good boy you were just scared huh? You didn’t want them to take you back to where you came from. Don’t you worry we wouldn’t let that happen.” The blonde cooed sitting atop a pile of hay allowing the horse to rest his head on her lap. Will hesitantly makes his way over sitting beside the horse’s limp wing. He would need to assess the damage first before attempting to heal or it could inhibit his flying capability.

“Skylar just keep talking to him I’m going to see if I can repair his wing. It’s broken but I should be able to set it.” He says placing his slender fingers lightly against the wing. On the count of three he pulls the bones together strapping the wing to a piece of wood lying around. The horse attempted to kick at him but Skylar diverted his attention back to her as she untangled twigs from his mane. Will smiled to himself the way his sister’s eyes lit up as she conversed with the horse. He wiped dried blood from the pegasus’s wing looking at his handiwork.

Together the Solace twins sing a hymn to their father their hands glowing brightly over different sections of the horse’s body. Green mucus stopped pooling from his nostrils, the broken bones slowly mended back together and his bloodshot eyes began to clear going back to their beautiful chocolate brown. It would still take a day for the wing to fully heal. He still refused to get up opting to continue lying down instead making the pair wonder if all internal damage was fully healed. Will tosses her two apples from the basket. Skylar feeds both of the apples to their patient and fills an old trough with fresh water. Beams of light from the setting sun poured into the building. Without realizing it they managed to work through lunch and dinner was just around the corner. So much for a healthy diet of three meals a day.

“We should call it a day. I’m starving.” He tells Skylar packing up the medical supplies and stuffing them in a corner for later. Both of them would return tomorrow to give the pegasus a proper bath, official stall and another round of healing. She hums in agreement nuzzling the creature’s muzzle affectionately and departing with her twin to the mess hall.

“I’m surprised he let me near him today. Just yesterday he wanted nothing more than to dent my skull.” Skylar speaks taming her curly hair into a ponytail to look somewhat presentable. Her nose scrunches after getting a whiff of her shirt. She smelt like the inside of a barn. If she left to shower dinner would be over by the time she returned.  _I’ll deal with it I guess. It’s not like Will smells any better._ The twins had been at the stables since early this morning only leaving long enough for a quick breakfast. Will smiles knowingly beside her draping an arm around her shoulders.

“Maybe he finally came to his senses? Finally saw that we were there to help.” He squeezes her shoulder. In truth he scolded the pegasus when she fell unconscious. Not that she needed to know that. His sister nodded in agreement waving at a group of campers. They pause their conversation long enough to wave in return before going back to talking. Skylar sighed to herself her fingers subconsciously grasping the necklace around her neck. She missed her friends. Sure the daughter of Apollo got along with most campers but they weren’t her best buds. None of them knew her true favorite color or the real reason she preferred to play the lyre over any other instrument. The only people that came close were her siblings and Nico Di Angelo. Speaking of Nico, she hasn’t seen the boy since last night at the bonfire.  _Oh come on Skylar he’s allowed to make friends._

Will’s blue eyes glanced in her direction when they arrived at the steps leading into the mess hall. Before he can comment on her change in mood, Lee calls out to them from across the field, jogging to their position. His hands ruffle their golden hair. A beaming smile graced his lips. Skylar instantly smiles back though swatting at Lee’s hand in slight annoyance. Will huffs in protest but makes no move to remove the older boy’s hand. Lee had this air about him that instantly put you in a good mood.

“How are my favorite twins handling the tricky patient?” Lee asks as they sit down for dinner. Michael, Austin and Kayla were already seated at the other end of the table but greeted their siblings nonetheless. Skylar and Will take turns on filling Lee in on today’s progress in between eating. The counselor listens intently applauding their efforts and offering small bits of advice. He also reminds them of the deadline tomorrow. They needed to get the Pegasus walking before sunset.

“Having a deadline complicates things. If we can’t get him at least standing we’ll miss the deadline.” Will mumbles munching on a piece of pizza. Skylar nods in agreement stabbing her pasta with a fork. There’s a possibility of internal injuries. Lee nods giving the two an apologetic look.

“I know it’s tough on you guys but I believe in you. You're the only ones who can help. Seriously, We tried to get close to it and Michael about lost an arm.” Lee gestures to Michael’s arm that is now in a sling. Hearing his name mentioned Michael jumps into the conversation.

“I dunno how you guys got close! That thing was all defensive kicking and biting. It nearly broke my arm!” He lifts his arm for emphasis, wincing slightly.

Skylar raises her hand to hit her older half sibling on the head with a gentle smack. “We warned you not to get close to it. You’re the responsible one of the two of you Lee.” She huffs waving off Michael’s protest of how he could be responsible too.

“Right, right. Sorry. We just wanted to help.” He counters. Couldn’t argue there. The rest of her cabin searched for ways to help in their own way. Will worked alongside her two days in a row. He even carried her back to the cabin when she fell asleep. Kayla covered for her in archery. Austin took over both her and Will’s shift in the infirmary. Now she finds out Lee and Michael tried to help with the pegasus. A warm feeling built up in her chest. She couldn’t ask for a better family.  _Family. Dad!_

“That’s it!” Her shout grabs the attention of a few nearby tables and startling her siblings. Curious looks and murmurs are directed her way. She ignores them, leaping off the bench and running to the pavilion steps. “I know what to do! I’ll explain later!” Skylar calls disappearing out of sight leaving a bunch of confused kids behind.  

The sun was just starting to set coating the camp in it’s soothing warmth. A lone teenager sat on a grassy cliff overlooking Long Island Sound. Blue eyes shut in concentration as skilled fingers plucked the strings of a golden lyre. The soothing melody carried on the breeze. “Hey dad. I know gods aren’t allowed to talk with their children much but I...I could really use your help. Something has been going on with me. It’s like I have these powers buried deep down.” She pauses opening her eyes to look out at the water. “You probably have more important things to deal with like looking for Artemis. Even a small sign would help.”

Skylar frowns down at her hands. The uncontrollable glowing had returned winding it’s way around each of her fingers. She doesn’t know how long she’s been sitting there but the sun casted its final rays of light before disappearing for the night. Darkness enveloped the area surrounding her. The only source of light she had came from her own hands. Sounds echoed through the trees behind her. Any hopes of communicating with her godly parent slowly slipped through her fingers. Time continued to tick on until finally the peaceful song she played came to an end.

“I wouldn’t be an awesome father if I left my kids hanging now would I?” A voice chuckles at Skylar’s side almost causing the blonde to drop her lyre off the cliff. “Whoa easy there! Don’t wanna lose that.”

“D-dad! You did hear me.” She smiles in relief her eyes observing the man beside her. Nostalgia washes over Skylar. He wore a sleeveless T-shirt, jeans and loafers. His golden hair shined even in the dark night, pulled back slightly by black sunglasses resting atop his head.  _You look the same as the first time I saw you._

“I always hear you kids. I just can’t always make it known or a certain god of the sky would have a tantrum.” Apollo jokes the sky rumbling overhead in response. His eyes fall upon her hands. “Anyway kiddo as you can see you’re a bit different from your siblings. A rare case that hasn’t been seen in a long time. I can’t go into details but you’ll be able to save a lot of lives if you learn to control it. ” He rested a large hand on his child’s head ruffling her hair.

“So basically I either learn to control the...light or people could die in the future. Great. No pressure or anything. I don’t even know where to start.” Skylar grumbles to herself.

Apollo chuckles quietly beside her. “Don’t sweat it. You’re already getting the hang of it. That shield you made was a good start. Keep those friends of yours close too. You’re going to need them.” The man rises to his feet. “If you find yourself in need of a good Haiku a certain brother of yours has some awesome ones. Oh and give my regards to the boy hiding in the bushes over there.” Apollo winks patting Skylar’s head one last time and disappearing in a blinding light. She shields her eyes only small specks of glitter showing any sign of her dad ever being there in the first place.  _Why would I need a Haiku? What boy?_

“Whoever is hiding better come out!” Skylar calls her hands gripping the bronze dagger always on her person. The starstruck face of Nico emerges from his hiding spot, his face illuminated by the moonlight. “N-Nico? What are you doing out here?” She questions walking over to the boy sheathing her dagger.

“That was Apollo? Isn’t he supposed to fly around on a golden chariot and wear robes while shooting arrows across the sky?” He questions but shakes his head at the girl’s slightly offended look. “You didn’t show up at the bonfire so I went looking for you. I sort of followed the music but I didn’t want to interrupt you and your dad so I stayed hidden.”

“I see. Well it’s a good thing you’re my friend or I’d throw you into the water for eavesdropping.” Skylar jokes removing the twigs from his hair. Nico’s chocolate brown eyes shined in the golden glow she produced. A small part of her relished with the thought she could somewhat control the light.

“We’re really friends?” He questioned in a small voice. If she wasn’t directly in front of the boy she would've missed it. The daughter of Apollo didn’t like the way his voice changed to something so fragile. A tan hand latches onto his olive skinned one pulling him along through the woods and back toward the cabins. Skylar lit the way so they had no trouble making it back and the light frightened any creatures lurking in the darkness.

“Of course we’re friends. When Percy and your sister get back we’ll all spend some time together. Oh and I’ll introduce you to Annabeth. She’d be really good at Mythomagic her plans are always brilli-” Skylar’s voice is cut off by quiet sniffles. Alarmed she whips around to Nico. The hand not grasped in her own is pressed against his face to quiet his sobs. “D-did I say something wrong?” She questions shuffling her feet nervously. Nico chuckles shaking his head. He smiles in contrast to the tears on his face.

“I-I’ve never had anyone b-but my sister who wanted to be around me. People always t-thought I was weird for liking Mythomagic so I didn’t have friends. So thank y-you for being my friend.” A warm body engulfs the crying boy into a hug. Her own blue eyes were starting to fill with tears. Whispers of reassurance naturally flow from Skylar’s lips. She never wanted him to feel alone again.

“How about we make a promise then?” She asks holding her pinky up for emphasis.

“We’re not kids anymore you know.” Nico sniffles wiping his nose on his sleeve. He started to calm down.

“Hey, promises aren’t just for children.” Skylar huffs.

“Alright fine. What kind of promise?” He gives in.

“That you’ll never be alone no matter how far apart we may become in the future. If you start feeling lonely remember tonight and the promise we shared.” She smiles brightly a small blush dusting her cheeks. Nico wraps his pinky around hers and a small thread of light seals the deal. This night would be known as the time they officially became friends. According to Nico anyway. Skylar always knew they were destined to be besties since she trapped him to a tree.


	4. Betrayed

Grumbles of discomfort were muffled by a fluffy pillow as a pair of hands tried shaking Skylar awake. Her hand reaches out subconsciously slapping the disturber right in their face. She was up late last night the least anyone could do was let her sleep in. A content smile graces her lips when the persistence ends with silence. The sweet aroma of her favorite coffee wafts through the room. As much as she loved the beverage her bed seemed more enticing at the moment.  
  
"Skylar get up or I'll have Lee drag you out of bed again." Will smirks as his sister flings the covers off her body and disappears behind the bathroom door. Last time she refused to rise the head counselor tossed her into the lake. She trudged all the way back to the cabin soaked only to find herself locked out. Percy nicely dried her off, after laughing for a solid five minutes of course.  
  
The golden haired takes the coffee from Will having returned fully dressed for the day. Her blue eyes slightly glared over the rim of the mug. If looks could kill the son of Apollo would be in the Underworld by now.  
  
"Today's the deadline so we need an early start. Enough with the glaring it doesn't suit you." Will sighs grabbing the bag he filled with food from the mess hall. Having woken up an hour prior he had time to prepare being as they might spend another day at the stables. It depended on how the pegasus was feeling.  
  
"Right. On the bright side there isn't much more to do. We just need to give him a bath and one last examination. What could go wrong?" Skylar shrugs walking out the front door with Will right behind her. He let's out a loud yawn stealing her coffee to take a drink.  
  
She wished she could take back her words.  
  
Shouts of protest followed by angry braying fills the air. Two soaked teens struggled to get the equally drenched pegasus to stand. His previously dirt caked flank was now a pristine white. Will carefully scrubbed in between alternating black and white feathers. Skylar shampooed the horse's dirty ebony mane and tail.  
  
"You're perfectly healthy again so why won't you walk around?" The female whispers rinsing the soap suds from it's head. "Being lazy isn't becoming of a noble steed like you. If I were you I'd want to be squeaky clean to show up the other pegasi." She smiles brushing tangles out of his mane. The pegasus makes a noise similar to a raspberry. His long legs slowly wobble as he rises to his feet knocking Will over in the process with a thud.  
  
"Hey watch it!" Will grumbles picking wet hay from his clothes. Despite being knocked down he was glad to finally see the pegasus on it's feet.  
  
"There you go boy!" Skylar beams washing the suds off his body with a bucket of water. Now the only thing left was to dry off. An excited twinkle appeared in her blue eyes as she sweet talked the pegasus. "Oh, I wonder if you have a name. I feel sort of bad for not addressing you by one sooner."  
  
Water flies into her face as the black and white speckled pegasus shakes his head. So he didn't have a name after all. Will joins his sister's side trying to come up with one.  
  
"What about Chomper? He did try to bite everyone." He suggests only to be shot down.  
  
"TipTap?"  
  
"Seriously Will?"  
  
"It's not that bad!"  
  
"Nibbler?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Oreo."  
  
"We're not naming him after a creme filled cookie."  
  
"Okay fine. Let's see..."  
  
"What about Ortus?" Skylar asks earning a neigh of approval. "It's Latin for sunrise."  
  
"You know Latin?" Will asks surprised but also impressed.  
  
"Somewhat. Not enough to be fluent or anything." She replies leading the newly named Ortus outside. "How about we test out that wing of yours?" Skylar hops onto the pegasus's back. Will grasps her hand hoisting his body up behind his sister. One arm wraps around her waist to prevent himself from falling off. Large black and white feathered wings unfurl slowly. A few test flaps and the wind whistles past Skylar's face.  
  
Cheers erupt in the sky as they fly around camp. Most of the scenery passing by in a blur. Wind dries their wet clothes fairly quickly. The weather was pleasant despite the terrible weather outside the confines of camp. Ortus flies steadily relishing the feeling of being airborne again. Suddenly the pegasus dive bombs toward the ground eliciting a surprised gasp from the crowd forming below. Hands clutch his dark mane as they barrel to the ground. Right before they crash Ortus unfurls his wings catching the air and lands gracefully on the ground. Skylar turns to face Will both of them laughing at their wind blown blonde hair.  
  
"That was awesome! I mean I've rode a pegasus before but this was...wow! Ortus you're amazing." She compliments patting down her wild hair.  
  
"To be so fast even with two people that's unreal." Will pats the horse's side in praise. Chattering from the campers nearby makes Ortus shuffle uneasily. “Hey guys mind stepping back a little?”

The crowd disperses per Will’s request and the pegasus relaxes. His hooves clop against the grassy terrain as they traverse through camp. Skylar points everything out for him and although she couldn’t talk to horses they had a special way of communicating. Even he had trouble understanding it and he’s been by their side since day one. The golden haired teen hums to himself looking outside the barrier once they get near it. Snow flurries kicked up along the ground mixing with the falling rain. Fingers clenched tightly around the bronze bow he always carries on his person. A cyclops was just outside of camp. Will’s arm around his sister reaches back to grab an arrow. Skylar felt her brother release her waist and glanced back in concern only to bring Ortus to a halt realizing what put the boy on edge.

 “We’re low on campers as it is. Think we can handle it ourselves?” Will his cerulean eyes stay trained on the threat.

 Border patrol ran thin recently most campers busy with other tasks. Ever since Luke split the camp in two they were short on manpower. Most of them left with the son of Hermes to join Kronos.

Now just because something is outside the barrier doesn’t mean it will stay that way. Skylar’s hand unlatches the glimmering dagger on her thigh. It would have to do being as her bow was still broken from the recent game of capture the flag. She clicked her tongue and Ortus took to the sky once more. Her plan was to take advantage of the harsh weather and catch the monster by surprise. Hopefully the pegasus would be able to stay airborne. Exiting the protection that Thalia’s tree offered, they faced the full brunt of the storm.

One golden eye gleamed hungrily at its prey. Green leathery skin covered a body at least eight feet tall. Various animal skins that were waterlogged from the rain hung off the monster’s body acting as clothes. The constant attacks from the monster made it difficult for the person to stand. Their feet desperately tried to find solid earth to stand on only to slip on the snow.

“We need to help them!” Will readies his bow pulling back the sting. A boulder the size of a car hurtles toward them and Ortus evades by barrel rolling to the side. Will, slick from the rain, slides off the horse’s flank during the maneuver his hands clawing at the air. Skylar grabs his shirt and hoists him in front of her.

“Be careful!” She shouts one hand still clutching the fabric of his clothes. A fall from this height and he’d break more than a few bones.

Ortus shoots higher into the sky keeping an eye out for more flying projectiles Staying airborne wasn’t working they would soon freeze before destroying the monster. Then there’s the matter of rescuing the demigod. They needed a plan and fast.

“I can get in close and hopefully draw it’s attention. Cover me from the air. If something goes wrong you grab that demigod and get to camp got it?” Skylar demands ordering Ortus to let her off on the ground. Snow crunched under her boots as she turns to leave. Will grips her arm with an unreadable expression.

“Skylar seriously. Don’t be reckless.” His normal laid back persona was gone.

“It’ll be fine.” Skylar tells him removing her arm from his grasp. Will nods hesitantly and she takes off across the wet grass. Cold wind blew through her soaked clothes chilling her to the bone. If the cyclops didn’t kill them hypothermia surely would. Her heart hammered against her ribcage the closer she got to the ugly monster. His dirt caked fingers clutched body of a familiar boy. Ocean blue eyes widen in horror. She could recognize that mop of black hair anywhere.

“N-Nico?” The air around Skylar grew thin a fire ignited within her wanting nothing more than to punish the savage dared touch her friend. Each step she took echoed in her ears the noise from the windstorm falling on deaf ears. The cyclops bared his misshapen yellow teeth tossing Nico’s body into the air. With each throw he would yelp in discomfort.

“G-get out of here!” Nico yells his voice laced with pain.  

“You here to play hero? Good luck! This one tried and look where it got him!” The cyclops cackles squeezing Nico’s body tighter. Will whom now hovered above them on Ortus released an arrow into the monster’s golden eye. Ortus charges in slamming his hooves into its skull and darting away. A howl of pain fills the area and the monster’s hands fly up to it’s injured eyeball. Skylar races across the grass as Nico starts plummeting to the ground. She skids across the snow using her body to soften his landing letting out a groan when they collide.

“Nice save.” He winces clutching his side. He was bruised for sure but Skylar didn’t have time to treat it. She shrugged off her jacket wrapping it around him to supply some form of warmth.The cyclops was now swatting angrily at the sky trying to knock her brother out of the sky. Will releases arrow after arrow into the cyclops only successfully angering it more. Skylar’s body glows with a startling yellow light and gets back on her feet. Her knee ached from hitting the frozen ground after catching Nico.

“Monsters like you deserve to rot in Tartarus!” She rushes forward sharp dagger-like rays of light piercing the body of the beast blasting the one-eyed monster to dust. Beads of sweat trickled down the female's forehead as she fought to steady her breathing.The next few minutes passed by in a blur. She faintly remembered Ortus carrying all three demigods back to camp. Chiron rushed them inside the Big House for treatment.

“You three could of been killed. Why were you outside the border?!” Chiron scolds rubbing ointment on Nico’s right side. He winces in discomfort when the centaur presses a little too hard.

“It’s not their fault. I...I thought I heard my sister so I left camp but it was a trap. If they didn’t come I’d be…” Nico trails off his brown eyes falling on the daughter of Apollo. Skylar now had a bandage on her knee from where she saved him. Argus, head of camp security, handed her a wool blanket. Will stood nearby placing bandaids on various parts of his body. Thankfully they were able to change into dry clothes as soon as they arrived.

“Chiron monsters are getting out of hand. First a hellhound during capture the flag and now a cyclops right outside the border. We don’t have enough demigods to have a proper patrol anymore. ” Skylar intervenes her face buried partially in her fluffy blanket.

Chiron frowns to himself patting Nico’s shoulder. “Cyclops have a way of mimicking the voices of those familiar to us. You had no way of knowing any better. We have all the satyrs working to find more demigods. There isn’t much else we can do but wait.” He drapes a blanket across the boy’s shoulders leaving the room with Argus to talk privately.

Waves of exhaustion washed over Skylar’s body prompting her to sit against the wall close to the fireplace. Two more bodies slump down on either side of her. A knee bumps gently against her own.Will leans his head on her shoulder and starts snoring almost instantly. The head of Nico di Angelo falls into her lap. Her fingers rake through his damp obsidian locks absentmindedly. Brown eyes start to droop closed from the sensation.

"I hope everything works out." Skylar whispers resting her head on top of Will’s. She uses the blanket around her shoulders to cover him as well. Nico mumbles something incoherent burying his face further into the blonde’s stomach and falling asleep. Blue eyes shut shortly after embracing the sweet enticing pull of slumber.   

Most people do not appreciate being woken up. Especially when it’s from a camera flash. Percy stood in front of the sleeping trio snapping pictures having arrived a few hours after they fell asleep. Grover stood next to his best friend snacking on a soda can. Annabeth gave him a look of disapproval but made no move to stop him. Skylar rubs her eyes giving the daughter of Athena a tired smile. She was overjoyed to see her friends safe and sound but didn’t want to speak for fear of waking the tired boys around her. Thalia pulls Percy by his ear into the rec room. A bad feeling formed in the pit of her stomach when she couldn’t spot Bianca di Angelo or Zoë Nightshade.  _Maybe they’re already inside? Yeah, that must be it._ She tries to convince herself.

Annabeth and Grover follow after Thalia. Was it her imagination or did Grover look at Skylar in sympathy? No not her, Nico. Skylar frowns running her fingers through said boy’s hair for some sort of distraction. He stirs under her touch opening his chocolate brown eyes.

“Hm...is it morning already?” Nico asks with a yawn, rubbing his eyes. He sits up from his position on Skylar’s lap facing the now closed rec room door. Now fully awake Nico jumps to his feet and opens the door before the blonde can stop him. The room falls silent as the dark haired boy questions his sister’s whereabouts. Percy excuses the two of them and leads Nico outside the house to talk.

Skylar carefully lays Will down on the floor and follows after them taking extra care to stay hidden. The boys stopped at the dining pavilion where Percy broke the awful news. Her hands muffled a gasp. Both Bianca and Zoë perished during the quest.

“You promised!” Nico shouted feeling betrayed. His hands flying to his ears not wanting to listen anymore.

“We don’t know for sure, I mean she could still be alive!” Percy counters though it sounded like he was trying to convince himself.

“No she’s dead I can feel it.” Nico says glaring at the older boy.

“What do you mean you can feel it?”

Skylar stands from her hiding spot to join them only to be grabbed from behind. One boney arm covered in transparent gray skin pinned her arms behind her back. The other covered her mouth as the skeleton soldier dragged her across the grass. Muffled curses spew from her mouth as she struggles landing a kick to the creature’s chest. Unphased it continues forward in the direction of her friends. Three more soldiers dressed in muscle shirts, camo pants, and combat boots joined it’s side. A horrible hissing noise came from their mouths the bones clattering together.

Percy spins around at the sound drawing riptide the moment he spots the soldiers. Recognition flashed in his seafoam green eyes as three skeletons approached each carrying swords. Nico looks horrified between the skeletons and Percy. He was convinced the son of Poseidon brought them to cause him harm. Regardless he urged Nico to run and get help not wanting him to get hurt. Every slash he made only knocked them down for a second before the pieces mended back together. The soldier holding Skylar started walking once again bringing her into view. A sword presses against her neck ceasing any struggle.  _What the heck are these things made of?!_

“Skylar?!” Percy shouts kicking a skeleton down the marble steps. Nico’s head turned so fast Skylar was afraid he’d get whiplash. Scared brown eyes meet her blue orbs. His hands clutched at his head backing away.

“No...no this can’t be happening.” He mutters to himself. “Go...away...GO AWAY!” Nico shouts. The earth rumbles beneath their feet and a large fissure opens up in the marble flooring. Percy rolls out of the way as the ground swallows up the enemies. Skylar frees herself jumping to the side as her captor joins his buddies in the Underworld. Silence.

Pulling her green cardigan closer the golden haired girl slowly walks to Nico favoring her injured leg as she moves. Nico throws his hands up not wanting her to come any closer. She was his friend who now probably thought of him as some freak.

“Nico that w-” She starts to say only to be cut off. Nico glared fiercely. If looks could kill both she and Percy would be wrapped in burial shrouds.

“You hate me now don’t you? Well I hate you! Stay away from me!” He screams darting off down the steps and into the woods. Percy runs after him only to slip on a figurine and crash to the ground. Skylar follows Nico jumping over Percy and running through the dark forest. Her palm lit up to light the way but she lost sight of the ebony haired boy. Mixed emotions battled inside pulling at her heart. Shaky knees buckle sending her body to the ground. Unshed tears threatened to spill down her freckled cheeks.

This would be the last time she would see Nico di Angelo for a long time.


	5. Chapter 5

Arrow after arrow soars through the air embedding itself deep within a target set up across the field. Sweat dripped from the archer's brow as they sat atop a tree branch. Passing campers hurried past not wanting to be caught in the female's line of fire. She had been there for over an hour taking her frustration out on the inanimate object. Three more arrows fly into the target with rapid succession. So much force was put behind one it came out the other side. Was it a little overkill? Sure, but it’s not like anyone was going to tell her to take it easy. They were prepping for war after all.

“We could try talking to her.” Annabeth suggests shifting her weight from one foot to the other. Percy stood beside her with a look saying ‘are you crazy?’ The child of Athena sighs. “Come on Percy we’re her friends she won’t shoot us. Unless you deserve it.”

“Some friends. She hasn’t said more than a few words to us in weeks. What makes today any different?” Percy says. Annabeth ignores him walking over to the archer who already climbed down and started collecting her arrows from the battered target. She tossed the broken ones into a pile to be repaired later.

Blue eyes trained on the duo as they neared. Strands of golden hair framed the girl’s face falling from the messy bun atop her head. Her freckled cheeks were tinted red from the workout. “Hey you two. Afraid I’m gonna aim at you?” Skylar jokes shouldering her bow. All traces of her previous frustration receding.

“Could've fooled me.” Percy mutters earning a jab to the ribs from Annabeth.

“We just wanted to check on you. You’ve been leaving camp a lot lately so catching up has been difficult.” Annabeth’s gray eyes analyze her tired appearance. Anyone would be exhausted after a full hour of firing arrows but Skylar looked ready to collapse. Her sparkling blue eyes were dull in the sunlight and dark bags started forming underneath them. She looked unusually pale for a child of Apollo and her golden hair no longer had its shine.

Skylar manages a small smile leaning against the trunk of a tree. “Sorry I haven’t hung out with you guys in a while. I volunteered to look for demigods and bring them safely back here. It keeps me busy.”

“That’s what you’ve been leaving Camp Half-Blood for? Isn’t that up to the Satyrs?” Percy asks. “You need a day to unwind. Bask in the sun and sip lemonade on the beach or something.”

“Not all of us can drop everything to have fun waterboy.” Skylar rolls her eyes and continues. “It would look bad if I suddenly refused to go. I don’t mind it anyway.” _It distracts me, even if it’s a short while._

“Maybe you should take at least a few days off. You’re not looking too great.” Annabeth places a hand on her shoulder. Her eyes were filled with concern for her wellbeing. Skylar shakes her head in response squeezing Annabeth’s hand gently.

“I appreciate the concern but I’m fine. Besides I’m leaving tomorrow and I can’t just cancel when I’ve been preparing for weeks.” She smiles pulling them both into a hug. “I’ll see you guys again before you know it.” Skylar waves setting off to pack.  

“Does she think we’re dense? It’s obvious she leaves camp just to look for him.” Percy huffs watching the child of Apollo leave. He begins walking with Annabeth to the arena.

“Give her a break Percy. They were becoming good friends and all of that was just ripped away.” Annabeth replies running a hand through her blonde hair. “You were just like that not to long ago seaweed brain. Even hijacked a quest to go find me.” She nudges his side with a smile.

A small smile finds its way onto his face. “That was different, I knew where to find you. Skylar is just blindly searching for someone who doesn’t even want to be found.”

“This is something she needs to sort out on her own. We shouldn’t get involved.” Annabeth finalizes drawing her celestial bronze dagger. Percy draws Riptide and together they begin sparring.

Will barges into the Apollo cabin his blue eyes flashing in irritation as they settle on his sister. “You’re leaving tomorrow and you weren’t going to tell me?” Will questions the floorboards creaking under his sneakers as he walks over to his twin. The female sighs quietly folding one last shirt and placing it in her backpack. She really didn’t want to have this conversation at the moment. But Will didn’t seem in a hurry to let it go. Her previous content mood washed away. This conversation was bound to go south. She really hoped to be halfway to Texas before Will discovered she left without telling him.

“I knew you would get all protective if I did. Like you do every time I leave.” Skylar grumbles moving to the nightstand by her bed to empty it’s contents into her bag. “Wait, how did you find out? I just told Percy and Annabeth a few minutes ago.” She pauses looking over her shoulder at him.

“How I found out isn’t important. You hid this from me for weeks! Don’t you trust me?!” Will questions his voice raising slightly, grabbing her shoulder and spinning her around to face him. Their eyes met and Skylar could see a hint of betrayal in them. She internally scoffs at that. Like he was so innocent.

“Oh so you don’t keep anything from me? When were you going to tell me you had this?!” She shouts holding up the leather bound book he previously hid in his desk. His blue eyes widen in recognition at the creased cover and yellowing pages. Skylar looks at him in disbelief. “You had answers to what’s been going on with these...powers of mine and you chose to hide it. How could you?” Angry tears welled up in her eyes.

Lee, who was listening from the other room, places himself in between the twins to create some distance. He was the only one who could ever attempt to stop them without getting his head bitten off. “Whoa guys. This is just a big misunderstanding is all.” He tries to diffuse the situation. They were normally a great team always working well together and playing off each other’s strengths. He’d seen them fight before but never to this extent. Someone was going to get hurt in the end.

“You went through my desk? ” Will looks at her incredulously stepping around Lee.

“I was looking for my notebook you borrowed and just happened to find it.” She waves the book for emphasis throwing it inside her backpack. “It still doesn’t justify the fact you kept this from me.”

“I was going to show you but never got a chance. You’re barely around since…” Will trails off but she knew what he was getting at. _Since Nico disappeared._ “At least let me go with you so you have back up.” He pleads grabbing ahold of her shoulders. His light blue eyes were desperate.

“He has a point. It’s getting dangerous with more monsters showing up lately. You could use an extra hand.” Lee urges siding with Will.

She almost gave in. Almost. She would gladly accept his help any other time. However this was something she had to do on her own. Maybe it was the secrets she kept hidden inside threatening to spill out that made her lash out. The words tumbled out on their own before she could stop them. Weeks of pent up emotions flooding out all at once.

“Are you saying I can’t do this on my own? I don’t need you to always come to my rescue like some prince charming. Surely you can function without me holding your hand. I honestly hate being your twin!” Skylar sneers storming outside. Campers all around stopped what they were doing and directed their attention to the Apollo cabin. Two of the most compassionate people were in an argument. Who wouldn’t stop to watch? At some point her hands started glowing during the argument syncing with her emotions. A ball of light blasted into the ground aiding in her escape.

“Skylar that was uncalled for get back here now!” Lee scolds shielding his eyes and attempting to go after the blonde only to be cut off by Will.

Will yells after her retreating figure. “I hate it just as much as you! You’ll get yourself killed without me watching your back! I can’t go one day without hearing about how you got into trouble so good riddance!” He slams the cabin door sliding to the floor clutching his head in his hands. Anger slowly dissipated only to be replaced with despair. Deep breaths escape his lips as he urges the tears to go away, failing when they start to stream down his flushed cheeks. Skylar was being unreasonable but he had to add fuel to the fire. He had her best interests at heart wanting to shield his sister from things they didn’t understand. Only it all blew up in his face and he didn’t know how to fix it.

Across camp Skylar was in a similar position. Her face was buried in Ortus’s mane with choked sobs wracking her body as the scene replayed over in her mind. She wanted to take it all back all anger she previously felt washing away leaving her filled with dread. Part of her wondered if it was all true and deep down if they really felt that way about each other.

Ever since the Solace twins were born they were inseparable. Neither was ever too busy to help. When one couldn’t go to bed they would both stay up singing lullabies until they both eventually fell asleep. Will was the one that taught her all the more advanced healing hymns of their father. In turn Skylar showed him how to wield a weapon other than a bow, although he still preferred the long ranged weapon. Sure the twins weren’t perfect but things always seemed to work themselves out in the end. This fight was different. If this was a movie she would return to the cabin and beg for forgiveness refusing to leave until he gave in. But this was the real world and a simple ‘I’m sorry’ wouldn’t cut it. She was going off on her own like she planned, so why did she feel so hollow? A fresh wave of tears fall down her cheeks. _He probably hates me now. Just like Nico does._ Skylar remains there for the rest of the day eventually falling asleep, red outlining her eyes.

Nobody came to see Skylar off the next morning. She preferred that they didn’t it saved her from having to explain her puffy eyes and disheveled appearance from sleeping in the stables. With backpack in hand and bow slung across her back she starts to climb onto Ortus’s back preparing to start her journey. Distant shouting reaches her ears and she turns to see…

Quintus? The swordsman ran after Mrs. O’Leary who bounded over to the blonde almost crushing her and a displeased pegasus in the process. “Whoa easy girl down! Down!” She calls toppling over when Ortus trots out of slobbering range. Her hands push at the massive hellhound trying to get her off. Quintus whistles and she returns to his side obediently drool now dripping from her mouth. Skylar wipes her face on her sleeve and looks up at the man questionably.

“With Kronos’s army still roaming as we speak it would be wise for you not to leave now. However I cannot force you to heed my words so I’ll leave this with you. Only open it when you absolutely need to.” Quintus says passing her a small metal box no bigger than her palm.

“What’s inside?” She questions turning the box gently in her fingers.

“It’s a surprise. Now I’ve kept you long enough. You have a quest to complete.” He evades her question turning to leave with Mrs. O’Leary. Skylar hadn’t talk to the swordsman much since he arrived at camp. Yet here he was assisting her in his own way. She would oddly miss him and of course Mrs. O’Leary the sweetest hellhound Skylar ever had the pleasure of meeting.

Skylar shouts a thank you after them receiving a lazy wave and happy bark in reply. Feeling a little better than a few minutes ago she mounts Ortus and together they begin the long flight.


	6. Burn

Quiet humming and the soft beating of wings filled the silent night. Lights glimmered below in what Skylar assumed to be a city in Pennsylvania. So far their journey had been unsuccessful. Two full days have passed and no leads on Nico’s whereabouts. Sure they had another purpose for being outside of camp but looking for him was a bonus condition. Soft sighs escape her lips as she rests her head against Ortus’s neck. The pegasus snorts shifting his body to ensure she didn’t fall off. Skylar barely slept since leaving camp, only taking light naps when her pegasus needed a break. For a child of Apollo who worries about other’s health she really doesn’t watch her own. Ortus soared past the bustling city into a more rural area with less buildings.

“It should be around here somewhere…” She mumbles surveying the neighborhood for a specific household. A slip of paper glowed faintly in her hand as she compared the addresses. The accompanying photograph sealed the deal. “Set me down behind that house please Ortus.” Skylar points to a two story yellow house with white shutters. His hooves touch the grassy backyard hiding slightly underneath a large Oak tree. _This is the place but..._ The smell of burning wood wafted to her nose eliciting a sneeze from both horse and human.

Smoke seeped into the air from a window on the second floor. Large flames licked the corner of the house rapidly advancing to the rest of the premises. She shakes her head in disbelief at the shattered glass that used to belong to a sliding door. Without much thought the blonde wraps a scarf around the lower half of her face and runs inside bow at the ready.

“You’ve got to be kidding me.” Voices in Skylar’s mind begged her to run right back outside. The heat seeped through her clothes. A faint call of distress reaches her ears as she rushes up the stairs, carefully jumping over burning debri. Flames covered almost everything on the top floor leaving only a small space for her to maneuver. Large claw marks littered the walls. _That looks promising._ The overpowering scent of smoke began to seep through her makeshift mask. Skylar pressed onward arriving at the doorway the voice was coming from.

It was a time like this she appreciated the survival instincts that came with being a demigod. Upon entering the room a fresh wave of fire launched in her direction. A Chimera rampaged around the room. One side of the lion’s face had a fire poker protruding from it’s eye socket. Ocean eyes fall upon the person she was looking for. The kid looked to be about eleven. His wavy brown hair stuck to his forehead and soot caked his face. A gash on his side seeped blood through his blue t-shirt. She was surprised to find him still conscious. Dodging the venom soaked snake-headed tail, Skylar lands next to the boy.

“W-who are you?” He winces gingerly touching his wound only to have red stain the fingers. Green eyes narrowed in suspicion at her sudden arrival. Coughing wracked his thin frame causing the wound to bleed even more. He’ll die from smoke inhalation or blood loss if the Chimera doesn’t devour him first.

“That’s not important. We need to move before that thing kills us both.” The blonde demands. Carefully Skylar lifted his arm around her shoulders ordering him to shut his eyes as she shot an orb of light at the beast. It’s body reeled back from the blast. They neared the window leading to the back yard. All the glass had been blown out earlier making their escape slightly easier. Most of the boy’s weight fell on Skylar as he inched closer to unconsciousness. Angry growling resumed as the Chimera began to regain its composure.

“We...can’t go out this way...unless you can fly...” He mutters into her ear, half lidded green eyes watching as they sit on the window sill.

“Just trust me.” She coughs sliding him down the roof and on top of her trusty steed. The brunet instinctively grabs onto the horse’s neck. Skylar ensures he’s safely on before turning back to the monster. “Hey ugly! I don’t take too kindly to monsters like you disrupting my job!” She unleashes two arrows into its hide avoiding the fire as much as possible. Her bow is swiped from her hands as the snake-head tail turns on her. The forked tongue flickers at its newfound prey.

Angry roars shake the foundation of the room loosening the ceiling that falls atop the Chimera successfully pinning it to the ground. Skylar seizes the opportunity and jumps on the monster dragging her dagger into it's flesh. A sharp pain rips through her leg as the snake’s teeth dig in. Hissing in pain the blonde removes the blade to cut off the snake tail covering her head to toe in monster dust. Staggering to the window she stumbles off the sloped roof and onto Ortus's back as firefighters hose down the blazing home. She trusted the pegasus to bring them somewhere safe.  
  
After flying for about ten minutes Ortus touches down just outside a small grove of trees. With shaking hands Skylar dug through her backpack pulling out a canteen of Nectar and bag filled with Ambrosia squares. She chewed on a square while trickling a small amount of Nectar into the boy's mouth. He passed out from exhaustion not long after they landed far away from the monster incident. Blue eyes narrow in concentration as Skylar stitched the gash on his side. The bleeding had thankfully stopped otherwise she would have make up a lie at the hospital over how they were hurt. Lying was one thing she hated to do even when necessary.  
  
 _Will could do a much better job. He's always been the best healer._ She frowns wrapping clean bandages around the fresh stitches and laying his body in her sleeping bag. A tightly bound bandage adorned her right calf having used up most of her strength in the fight and not having enough to heal it completely. “I should check in and see how camp is.” She leans against the tree trunk removing a glass prism protected in a small black cloth.  
  
Prisms were a convenient way for Skylar to send an Iris message. She could easily pour a small beam of light into it producing a rainbow. The golden haired girl chants the incantation. "O Iris, goddess of the rainbow, accept my offering.” A shiny gold drachma dissolves into the rainbow. "Camp Half Blood, Wi- Lee Fletcher please." She changes her mind opting to call the counselor instead. _I'm sure Will's still mad at me._  
  
The familiar image of her older half sibling appears in the light. His body sat hunched over at a desk writing in a journal. "Hey Lee." Skylar greets startling the older boy into scratching ink across the paper.  
  
"Skylar! Oh wow how are you? Give me a minute and I'll get Will. You two should really talk." Lee rises to his feet, halting when Skylar shouts for him not to. He raises an eyebrow at her sudden outburst.  
  
"Please don't. I'll talk to him just...I need to do it in person." She pleads wiping some soot on her face with her sleeve. "How is it at camp?" Shuffling is heard behind her as the brunet boy turns in the sleeping bag. Skylar really needed to explain things to him and learn his name.  
  
"About that. Percy and Annabeth found Daedalus's Labyrinth. They, along with Tyson and Grover, went inside to stop Luke from reaching camp. The rest of us are doing what we can around here to prepare in case the army gets through." Lee fills her in on everything his eyes drifting to something just out of sight of the video message. The screen flickered slightly signalling time was almost up.  
  
"I'll make this quick. I found a demigod and I'm bringing him back to camp. We should arrive within the next few days, much earlier than I originally planned to return. If something comes up you let me know and we'll be home before you can recite one of dad's Haikus." Skylar informs playing with her sleeve.  
  
"We'll be here. With any luck you'll get here before a war breaks out." Lee sighs running a hand through his hair. The image before his eyes started to turn into static. They had maybe a minute left. A boy steps into the frame placing a hand on Lee's shoulder. He was dressed in an orange tank top, khaki cargo shorts and flip flops. His blue eyes held an unreadable expression.  
  
"Will." Skylar breathes, almost severing the connection in surprise.  
  
"Sky, you look...well you've seen better days." Will tells her switching place with Lee as he leaves the room.  
  
"Will...I-I'm so-" She pauses when he hold his hand up.  
  
"We'll talk when you come home. That's what you said remember? See you soon okay?" He sends a small smile her way.

“R-right. Bye.” Skylar nods as the image cuts out enveloping the area in darkness once more. The blonde rubs her eyes ignoring the wetness left on her fingers and settling down next to Ortus. He wraps a wing around her as she shuts her blue eyes for some much needed rest.


	7. Bonding Moments

After waking up, the boy whom Skylar learned to be named Isaac Mackenzie, sat across the female in a small diner. Steam wafted into her face from her half-filled coffee mug as she explained the concept of demigods. So far he seemed to be taking the news strangely well.

"So you're telling me that one of my parents were mortal and the other was a...god?" Isaac’s bewildered voice questions from across the table. “Wait which one?”

"I was kind of hoping you would be able to tell me. It helps to narrow it down if I know which parent you stayed with. Mother or father.” Skylar drains the rest of her coffee moving on to her pancakes.

“I live with my dad. He never mentioned anything about my mom being an Olympian let alone what she looked like. Oh no. Dad! The house! He’s going to freak when he comes back from his trip today.” The brunet groans dropping his head onto the table. A slight chuckle escapes Skylar’s lips at his reaction.

“I’m sure he’ll be thankful you’re even alive. Don’t worry I’ll go with you to explain.” She smiles warmly packing up the remainder of her meal into a take-out container. “We need to get you packed for camp after all.”

“A summer camp for demigods? That’s an actual thing?” Isaac questions as the blonde throws money on the table for their meals. He was surprised yet skeptical on how safe a summer camp full of powerful kids could be. How did they keep the monsters away?

“Of course. It’s actually the safest place in the country for kids like us. Although there are some that only stay for the summer and are able to have somewhat normal lives. Others aren’t so lucky and have to stay year round.” Isaac notices a small frown make it’s way onto her face as she says that.

The pair began to walk in the direction of Isaac’s home. They could of rode on Ortus but Skylar didn’t want to risk causing a scene in broad daylight. She’s already wary enough returning to the house. There could be more monsters lurking around and having two demigods snooping around was dangerous. Silence washed over the two as they neared their destination. Blue eyes turn to meet green as a hand encases itself around her wrist. Skylar tilts her head slightly when Isaac suddenly grows nervous. A beat up red Corvette was now parked in the driveway in front of the complex. It seems the fire only damaged part of the second story and had yet to spread elsewhere.

“My dad can be a little...overbearing. Just try not to take it personally. I apologize for him in advance.” He chuckles humorously opening the chipped front door to his home.  The blonde taps the back of his hand lightly in reassurance as they cautiously make their way inside.

“Isaac is that you my boy? Come into the dining room so we can talk.” A gruff voice calls out elsewhere in the house. Said boy makes his way further into the house to meet with his dad. He asked Skylar to tag along leading her into a small room with a round wooden table surrounded by four chairs. One seat was occupied by a burly man. He wore a red and black checkered flannel and overalls. His face had the most magnificent beard Skylar had ever seen. Stern green eyes surrounded by laugh lines bore a hole into her body. Unruly black hair adorned his head blending perfectly with his facial hair. He reminded Skylar of a lumberjack she’d once seen on a billboard. The pleasant aroma of cinnamon and vanilla dispersed through the room calming her nerves.

“Hey dad. This is my new friend Skylar. She moved into the Turner’s old house up the road.” Isaac lies smoothly taking a seat beside his dad. Skylar slides into a seat across from the intimidating man.

“Don’t lie to me son I know she’s from that camp. Who do you think told them where you were in the first place? I knew sooner or later it would be time for you to learn about who your mother was. What’s your name girl? Why did they send somebody so young to help?” Isaac’s father’s gruff tone of voice sent a chill down Skylar’s spine.

“Skylar Solace sir. Camp Half Blood is a tad short handed these days which I’m sure Chiron explained to you beforehand. However I can assure you Isaac is well protected in my care.” She replies with a pleasant smile plastered on her face.

“Then why is it my house was torched and Isaac has blood on his clothes? Your tardiness could of killed my son.”

“Dad please, she saved my life isn’t that enough?” Isaac intervenes only to be drowned out by his father.

“Silence boy! Tell me Skylar would you risk your life to save his or would you run away like a coward in the face of danger? Just what morals is this shoddy camp teaching you?” He questions pouring himself a cup of coffee.

Skylar sits up straight resting her hands on top of the table. A deadly serious expression crosses her face. “I would protect your son even if I were to perish in the process. Now I will tell you one thing and you shall do well to listen. Say what you will about me however Camp Half Blood is my home. My family. I will not tolerate anyone badmouthing it.”

Loud boisterous laughing startles Isaac resulting in a crash as he knocks his chair over. Mr. Mackenzie pounded his fist against the table, his laughter echoing through the small room.

“You my dear have nerve standing up to me! It’s fantastic, good job you pass.” He grins green eyes glinting in amusement. Skylar laughs alongside him reaching across the table to shake his outstretched calloused hand. Isaac watches from the floor in awe. His father, whom always judged people with harsh statements, was now laughing his butt off. Skylar on the other hand understood the situation perfectly although, some of his comments did sting a bit. Mr. Mackenzie cared deeply for his son and wanted to test her conviction.

“Let’s have a talk Isaac. Skylar if you would head upstairs and see what you can salvage.” He urges. The blonde nods in understanding climbing the broken stairs to leave them alone. Whatever they discussed was none of her business. Looking down the hallway she assessed the damage dealt by the fire. Almost everything was charred black and soaking wet. _I can only imagine how they feel._ She frowns running a hand along the wall as she enters Isaac's room. Every square inch of the room reeked of smoke. Furniture scattered all over the room burnt to a crisp. Golden dust still scattered across the floor from last night’s fight.

Starting with the closet Skylar removes the closet doors with a huff, shifting boxes around in search of anything not completely destroyed. She found an old camping backpack stuffing it with salvageable clothes and other small trinkets. Her ocean eyes fall upon a small book riddled with dust. Wiping it clean with her sleeve she finds it to be a photo album. It’s pastel blue paint crinkled slightly under her fingers having not been touched in years. Delicate scripture decorated the cover forming the words ‘Je t'aime petit Isaac.’ _French?_ A small dove encrusted in white crystals adorned the center of the album. _I see it makes sense now._ Gently she lays the photo album in the backpack under a few folded clothes. Having saved all she could from the closet she steps out coming face to face with Isaac and his father.

“I packed all I could in here.” Skylar raises the backpack she found. Isaac nods sifting through the remains of his charred dresser frantically searching for something. His green eyes sadden when he can’t locate the object.

Mr. Mackenzie pats his son’s back. “Don’t worry your mother kept it safe for you.” He drops a silver locket into his palm “If you ever lose it again it will find it’s way back to you.” Isaac hugs his dad tightly bringing a sad smile to Skylar’s face as she watches the display. It made her miss Will even more. He was basically the only biological family she had left. Their mom was always busy and well you know how it is with godly parents.

“A few more hours here won’t hurt. Besides I’d prefer to travel late in the day, less people to question a flying horse and all. We could both use showers too I’m sure we don’t smell great.” She jokes untangling her fingers in her curly blonde hair. Mr. Mackenzie agrees to her suggestion leading her to a bathroom to freshen up. She thanks the man locking the door to take a much needed shower. Her mind wanders back toward the dream she had last night.

_Shadows danced across Skylar’s vision slowly fading to show a cave. A small campfire crackled in the dark cavern next to a hunched over figure. The firelight shone on their face. Pale sunken in cheeks, dark circles under dull brown eyes, and messy black hair. Nico? He looked awful. Skylar shivered involuntarily she wanted to move closer but her body was frozen in place. Next to the person was a wispy shape slowly taking the form of a man. The two started to converse in hushed tones leaving it hard for her to decipher anything._

_Nails on a chalkboard would of sounded more pleasant than the voice that whispered in her head the next moment._

_“Darkness shall consume your soul child of the sun god. A decision will change your life forever. When it does I will destroy all you hold dear beginning with this one.”_

Loud knocking pulls her from a trance and she hurries to finish in the bathroom to make way for Isaac. “You okay? I’ve been calling your name for five minutes.” He frowns crossing his arms over his chest. Skylar manages a smile despite the turmoil invading her mind.

“Yeah, just homesick is all. I’ve never left camp for more than a few days before.” She replies towel drying her golden hair. Isaac looks at her skeptically before disappearing behind the bathroom door. Mr. Mackenzie greets the daughter of Apollo as she walks into the den. A plate of fresh baked chocolate chip cookies sat on the table in front of him.

“Skylar my dear come sit down. I would like to learn more about you if you don’t mind.” He invites her in gesturing to the plush couch opposite of the one he sat on. Skylar accepts nibbling on a cookie as she waits for the man’s first question. In the few hours she’s been here Isaac’s dad was beginning to grow on her. He was the embodiment of everything Skylar thought a parent should be and more. Although there was the occasion where he got a little too boisterous, not that Skylar minded. She lived in a camp full of rambunctious kids after all.

“It never crossed my mind until now to ask but who is your godly parent?” Mr. Mackenzie questions, a curious glint in his forest green eyes.

“Apollo sir. The god of the sun, light, healing, music, poetry, archery, reasoning, and prophecy.” She lists off on her fingers only to be met with silence. “Oh gods I’m sorry I didn’t mean to sound like I was bragging.” Her hands wave around in the air nervously.

“Daughter of Apollo huh? That sure is something kid.” He praises much to Skylar’s embarrassment. She wasn’t anything special. There were much more talented demigods out in the world. “Isaac told me you have a flying horse? I would love to see him.”

“Of course! His name is Ortus, he’s a little on the proud side but honestly a big sweetheart.”

“I know gods like to go frolicking around with other people but do you have any biological siblings by chance?” That question stung more than it should. _I thought I was over feeling bad about a petty fight. Ugh this sucks._

“Yes I do, a twin brother named Will. He’s...honestly the best brother I could ever ask for and the best healer we have at camp.”

“How come he didn’t come with you? Not much of a brother if he leaves his sister to fend for herself.”

“No no it’s not his fault. Will’s wonderful really. I actually told him to stay at camp. You see we had this boy at camp not too long ago named Nico di Angelo. He ended up leaving camp out of the blue and I wanted to go look for him. So I volunteered to bring demigods to Camp Half-blood with the true incentive being to look for my friend. My brother and I got in a fight about it the day before I left to come here because I neglected to inform him I was leaving.” Why she was spilling her sob story to him she didn’t know but it felt great to get some of the weight off her shoulders.

“If this boy is as great as you say he is I’m sure he’ll wise up and apologize. Although you should be honest with him in the future to prevent another argument or you could regret it. That friend of yours though, he has some nerve having a girl such as yourself worrying over him.” Skylar took his words of advice to heart laughing softly at his comment about Nico. She couldn’t agree more.

“If you don’t mind me asking sir, is Isaac’s mother Aphrodite by chance?” The way Mr. Mackenzie’s face changed from content to sorrowful put her on edge. “I-I’m sorry if it’s a touchy subject you don’t have to answer.”

“No it’s alright. That is his mother yes. Very eccentric that one. She could charm the pants off of anyone even a rugged guy like me. Her eyes sparkled like jewels in the sunlight. The silkiest hair you’d ever seen and a fine body to boot. I never really knew why she picked a man like me, not that I’m complaining. We didn’t spend much time together what with her being a god and all. But the months we did share were some of the best of my life. The only thing better than that is my boy’s existence. So I ask you Skylar, daughter of Apollo and friend to the Mackenzie family, watch over my boy.” Mr. Mackenzie became misty eyed as he pleaded with the young golden haired archer.

Skylar sat her half eaten cookie on the table and reached over to pull the large man into a hug. This was her silent agreement to not let anything happen to Isaac. As she’s stated before she would lay down her life for family and as of today both Mr. Mackenzie and Isaac are a part of hers. Speaking of Isaac. A floorboard creaks from outside the room and Isaac’s damp, chocolate brown hair could be seen poking out from the doorway.

“You don’t have to eavesdrop anymore. We’re done.” She calls. Shuffling out of hiding the green-eyed boy smiles sheepishly a hand rubbing the back of his neck. Mr. Mackenzie walks over to his son and ruffles his hair. To which the boys swats at his hands to get him to stop. Sunlight seeped through the curtains of the house from the setting sun outside.

“I’d better get Ortus so we can be ready to depart. I’ll be back in a jiffy.” She shrugs on her jacket and grabs her bow. With a short wave she disappears closing the front door with a slam. Fresh air filled the girl’s lungs as she makes her way to where she left Ortus right outside of the rural neighborhood underneath a small canopy of shade trees. Happy whining comes from the pegasus as soon as she arrives. Hair covers her vision as Ortus nuzzles her cheek with his nose. Giggles bubble from her lips as she strokes his mane. He was such an obedient steed. Half of her thought he would get tired of waiting and wander off in search of food or in an attempt to locate her.

“Alright boy we’ll be going home soon so let’s go.” Ortus kneels low enough for her to climb on without putting too much strain on her injured leg. She pats his neck in gratitude and holds on as they take off. Cold wind whips through her hair enjoying the peace momentarily. So much has happened in her life she needed to sort through. Making up with Will and getting home was her top priority. As much as Skylar hated to admit, finding Nico took a backseat these last few days.

They land in the Mackenzie’s backyard startling a family of Cardinals in the oak tree. Isaac steps out of the now windowless back door carrying both of their backpacks. “I told dad how much to liked coffee. He packed a thermos and some chocolate chip cookies for you.” He tosses the bag up to her which she puts on. She’d have to thank him in the future for all the kindness he’s shown her, a complete stranger. Isaac hesitated climbing onto Ortus earning an amused look from Skylar. She has Ortus kneel and offers the son of Aphrodite a hand which he gladly accepts planting himself behind her. Mr. Mackenzie whom had been watching from the window, steps outside to say his goodbyes.

“Don’t go giving anyone trouble you hear me? I don’t want that camp director busting down my door cause you caused a ruckus. Skylar if you ever find yourself in need of a place to stay my door’s always open. Should have everything replaced in no time too.” He gestures to the burnt section of his home. “Be safe Isaac. I love you son.” Tears were beginning to form in his eyes but he turns toward the house before the kids can see. “Now scram before someone sees you.”

“I love you too dad.”

Ortus flaps his wings slowly rising off the ground. Skylar clicks her tongue and they soar high into the sky. They begin to pick up speed having to make up for lost time. Isaac wipes his eyes on his shirt sleeve sniffling lightly as the house becomes a speck in the distance. Carefully Skylar turns her body around to face Isaac offering him a pack of tissues from her pocket. He accepts them gratefully blowing his nose loudly into one.

“When we get there we’ll get you situated right away. ” She says quietly, brushing his hair out of his green eyes. It was always hard for first timers to just pack up and leave home out of the blue. Which left Skylar with the task of soothing the homesickness. It was a task she always accepted with pride. Digging through her backpack she removes the Lyre stashed at the bottom.

“Any requests?” A thoughtful expression passes over Isaac’s face as he contemplates. Skylar waits patiently, fiddling with a knob on the base of the metal instrument to accompany any genre.

“You pick, you’re the expert after all.” He sticks a tongue out at her not knowing he’d regret that decision in the long run.

“Oh boy you might wish you picked by the time this trip is through.” Her fingers strum the tune to ‘You’ve Got A Friend In Me.’ A smirk makes a way onto her face as she begins to sing. Thus beginning a long ride full of Disney songs.

After three hours of listening to Skylar sing Disney soundtracks, Isaac presses his face into her back. His breathing evens out and soon enough he’s out like a light. She finishes the final verse of ‘I’m On My Way’ and checks on Ortus. Flying long distances with one person was hard enough so having two could make him exhausted. The pegasus accepts the chocolate chip cookie she offers neighing in appreciation. Worried he’ll wake Isaac she hurries to quiet him down.

“There’s more where that came from but you need to be quiet okay?” Ortus nods his head in understanding gladly munching on another cookie. Skylar yawns drinking from the thermos Mr. Mackenzie gave her. That man could make a mean cup of java. Down below them she could hear the nightlife of New York City. They’ve been making great time since leaving Pennsylvania. If all goes well they should be in Long Island by tomorrow afternoon. For now they needed to find somewhere to sleep for the night. Central Park seemed like a good place, better than a dirty alley for sure. As long as they didn’t get caught that is. Ortus descends per Skylar’s instructions landing in a secluded part of the park. She slides off his back disturbing Isaac and laying out their sleeping bags.

“Why couldn’t we just sleep on the pegasus?” He complains basically collapsing on his bed for the night. “Your back is more comfortable than the ground.” The last part is mumbled as he dozes back off but it brings a slightly blush to Skylar’s cheeks. Slipping into her sleeping bag she falls asleep almost instantly. Not at all prepared for the dreams that follow.


	8. Home

Dreams were like a passageway into your imagination. In them you could be or do anything you set your mind to. Unless you’re a demigod. It’s especially worse for someone like Skylar. Children of Apollo are ‘blessed’ with at least some prophetic ability. She only wished these dreams of hers came with proper instructions.

_She found herself standing in a cave similar to the one Nico was in. Except this time it’s filled with her friends; Percy, Annabeth, Tyson and Grover. They looked alright for the most part, just exhausted and covered in dirt. Not far away from them is the goddess Hera. Annabeth asked her for guidance only to learn that Percy had the answer. Skylar was curious as to what they were looking for but the scene changes before she can find out._

_Monsters of all kinds gathered together. The long hallway they sat in illuminated by campfires kept alive by Chimeras. She felt herself shiver slightly at the sight of them. Cyclops picked their teeth with what Skylar hoped to be animal bones. However what bothered her the most were the demigod children mixed in with them. Each was armed to the hilt prepped for war raising an alarm in her mind. The sheer amount of manpower they had was overwhelming. If the camp was attacked by this she was unsure they would be able to handle it._

Skylar sits up quickly slamming her forehead directly into Isaac’s who was leaning over her. Both roll over in pain, clutching their heads. “I was only trying to wake you. We’ll be caught if we stay here any longer.” Isaac hisses gesturing to a police officer patrolling the park. Not a lot of people were in the park but it was enough for them to start packing immediately. With Isaac’s help they finish rather quickly and are once again on their way.

It’s silent for a while as neither one wanted to talk. Skylar was still dwelling on her dream and Isaac was focusing on staying awake. He was definitely not a morning person normally sleeping late into the afternoon. Ortus raced through the sky per Skylar’s instructions. The city below them passed by in a blur of colors.

“Skylar? I know you’re eager to get home and all but isn’t this a little excessive?” Isaac questions, clutching the back of her jacket. He couldn’t stand the silence any longer. Even Skylar singing Disney songs on repeat would be preferred to this.

“Have you ever had dreams that seemed so real it’s like they were actually happening?” Skylar asks, looking over her shoulder at the green-eyed boy.

“A few times but I just thought they were coincidences.” He frowns squeezing the fabric of her jacket tighter. “You mean there’s more to them?”

“Demigods have the tendency to dream differently than that of mortals. Children of Apollo can even tell prophecies in one form or another. I-I saw an army.” She pulls the backpack in her lap a little closer to her chest. “I’m worried it’s going to attack Camp Half-blood so I want to hurry and warn them before it’s too late. If they were to fall when I could’ve prepared them I…” Isaac places a warm hand on her shoulder for comfort.

“We’ll get there in time, we have the best pegasus around after all.” He pats Ortus’s side in praise. The pegasus neighs happily gaining speed. Skylar grips Isaac’s hand in appreciation. She was supposed to be the one cheering him up after all he’s been through. It was nice not having to pretend everything was fine for once in her life.

Camp Half-blood was void of any demigods as they land near the cabins. It was unnerving and a chill ran up Skylar's spine. With a click of her tongue she has Ortus do a quick fly over in search of any campers. Isaac's grip on the back of her jacket tightens, his green eyes searching the ground. An uproar grabs his attention and he tugs Skylar's jacket. Ocean blue eyes follow his pointing finger to the camp's amphitheater. If the whole camp is there then maybe Chiron and Mr. D already know.  
  
Ortus lands outside the venue allowing the two young teens to dismount. Timidly they advanced through the entrance to listen in on the current conversation. Both stayed hidden behind a pillar until an opportune moment. The structure was packed to the brim with campers each section divided by cabin number. In the front row of each section sat that cabin's specific counselor. Currently Clarisse stood from her spot  addressing the audience. Skylar perked up at her mentioning an inevitable attack on camp. Apparently she traversed through the Labyrinth months before and pinpointed a single location Kronos's army could enter. A tunnel beneath Zeus's fist.  
  
"If they know there's gonna be an attack why aren't they busy preparing? Shouldn't they build weapons or a blockade as some form of defense?" Isaac's soft voice reached her ears as they continue to eavesdrop.  
  
"We will. First they need to relay the issue to everyone to prevent mass panic. If there's hysteria any plans we try to put into motion will just crumble." Skylar whispers her blue eyes surveying the crowd's reaction. Mixed emotions roared from the crowd. Some campers denied the credibility of Clarisse's statement. Others panicked at how unprepared they were. That most of their experienced fighters, like Percy and Annabeth, have yet to return having gone back into the Labyrinth once more to rescue Tyson and Grover. Quintus also seemed to be missing which Skylar found to be odd. Chiron's hooves slam against the marble flooring to regain everyone's attention.  
  
"I realize this battle will be immensely difficult. It would not be right of me to force you to lay down your life. Stand and fight or pack your bags and depart while you still can. I leave the choice up to you. Those of you that choose to stay make preparations immediately for defensive measures." Silence falls over the area as everyone contemplates their decision. Footsteps echo through the quiet and Skylar walks into view to speak. Her ocean eyes held a sense of resolve. A quiet gasp sounds from the left hand side of the bleachers but she ignores it.

   
"Well I for one am not going anywhere. Losing this camp would just give Kronos a step closer to conquering Olympus. I’ve seen this army, in a dream. We have an advantage we can work with I estimate a day tops to prepare. Clarisse is right, we all knew this would happen sooner or later.” She nods to the child of Ares before continuing. “Besides, we’re demigods, our lives are always full of danger so what’s one more fight?” The newest son of Aphrodite joins her side, clearing his throat to voice his opinion.

“If this Kronos guy is as dangerous as you guys say then the least we can do is destroy his army on our home turf. Skylar saved my butt and brought me here. I owe her my life and will fight by her side to protect this place. Maybe you’ll all do the same.” Isaac scratches the back of his neck nervously, green eyes focused on the marble flooring.

“Was it really a question on if we’d help? Cabin seven stands with you.” Lee Fletcher speaks up for his siblings giving the blonde girl a nod. A grateful smile on Skylar’s part is returned.

“Looks like we’re working overtime the next couple of days. ” Beckendorf cracks his knuckles. “You can count on Hephaestus cabin to supply all your armory needs.”

“Like the Ares cabin would pass up a chance to fight. We’ll be ready to pound them into dust.” Clarisse scoffs adding another cabin to join their cause.

“We’d look bad if we let a newbie show us up. Hermes cabin reporting for duty.” Travis pipes up with a smirk.

“Yeah, it's not like we were going to run away anyway you should know that by now Skylar.” Connor speaks, agreeing with his brother. One by one the remaining cabins chimed in with an agreement. Some were still wary of their survival but Skylar chose not to comment. It was understandable for them to be scared for their lives. This is the biggest battle they’ve ever faced. Chiron dismisses the meeting for everyone to get started right away. Skylar volunteered to show Isaac around camp and to the Aphrodite cabin being as Silena already departed.

“Look at you taking charge as soon as you get back. I take it your quest was a success?” Hands ruffle Skylar’s unbrushed blonde hair tangling it even further. Her blue eyes fall on Lee a soft smile gracing her features as the rest of her cabin mates surround them. Well almost all of them. Will pulled Isaac aside to have a talk of his own. It took all the restraint she possessed not to tackle him in a hug sputtering apologies until he forgave her.

“You talked to me via Iris message so you knew I did.” Skylar replies trying to fix her messy hair, blue eyes drifting to Will and Isaac. “Isaac’s a nice guy, he had a normal life up until a few days ago. I just hope he makes it through this. That we all do.”

Kayla slings an arm around her shoulder with a smirk. “Does little Skylar have a crush on the new guy?” The blonde rolls her eyes at her half-sibling messing up her dyed hair.

“It's not like that Kayla. I promised his dad I’d watch over him.” Skylar crosses her arms.

“Nah she’s got eyes for that Di Angelo kid. Why else would she be trying so hard to find him?” Michael teases much to Skylar’s displeasure. Her mood instantly fell but she still felt her cheeks warm from embarrassment. Kayla instantly noticed the change shooting Michael a dirty look. “I-I mean you’ll definitely find him! He’s just really good at hide and seek.” He exclaims earning a facepalm from everyone.

“Dude just quit while you can. Let’s go we’re on patrol next.” Austin begins to steer Michael outside of the amphitheater. He looks back over his shoulder as they depart. “Be sure to talk to Will. He’s been different since you left.”

Skylar waves them off turning back to Kayla and Lee. The trio talk more about what she missed in the last week. Percy, Annabeth, Grover and Tyson had yet to return worrying her. She hoped they all made it back unharmed and to provide support. Patting her sibling’s backs, Skylar departs to give Chiron her report. Only she planned on leaving out her dream about Nico that’s been plaguing her mind. The tour she promised Isaac would have to wait.

Isaac’s vibrant green eyes look at the lanky golden haired boy in confusion. “Um, wouldn’t you rather talk to your sister instead of me?” He asks playing with a loose string on his sweater sleeve.

“Who are you?” Will questions getting right to the point. “How do you know my sister?”

“Isaac Mackenzie son of Aphrodite.” He holds his hand out to shake which Will complies. “Skylar brought me here after she saved me from a Chimera. I would of died if she didn’t show up. You must be the brother she mentioned. Will right?” Ocean eyes widen slightly at this. Skylar spoke about him?

“She did huh?” He smiles to himself stuffing his hands into the pockets of his shorts. “How about I give you the tour? It’ll be hectic the next few days so it would help if you knew where everything is.”

Isaac agrees walking beside the lanky blond as he points out different areas of camp. Green eyes take in the scenery with curious eyes. He could see fields filled with fresh strawberries in the distance, hear pegasus neighing in the stables and the battle cries of campers training. Kids bustled around them as they conversed near the cabins. In the short time they spent together they got along fairly well. Isaac even informed the son of Apollo he knows how to shoot an arrow from hunting with his father.

Will stops in front of a cabin painted hot pink in color. Lace curtains and potted carnations decorated the front windows. “You don’t seem like most of the Aphrodite kids here. Some participate in camp activities while the rest...well you’ll see. ” He knocks on the door three times. “This is your cabin. You’ll sleep here during your stay at Camp Half-blood along with your half siblings.”

The brunet holds back a comment regarding the atrocious pink door as it swings open revealing a petite girl with blonde pigtails. “Hi Will! Who’s your friend?” She questions cheerfully braces poking out from her smiling lips.

“Lacy, this is Isaac he’s the newest member of cabin ten. Mind introducing him to the others and getting him settled in? I gotta take care of a few things.” Will flashes the young girl a polite smile.

“Sure thing! Come on in Isaac.” Lacy beams welcoming the boy inside the cabin.

“If you ever need any medical treatments come find me.” With a lazy wave Will departs leaving Isaac alone with his half sister. Isaac calls out a thank you, turning to step inside Barbie’s dream house. Oh if only he knew what he was in for.

Footsteps thunder across the wood flooring of cabin seven. Will, whom had been busy doing inventory on their medical supplies, looks up just in time to be knocked off his feet. Arms wind around his waist and familiar curly golden hair blocks his vision as his butt meets the hard floor. Instantly Will wraps his assailant in a tight hug burying his nose deep into their freshly washed locks. The soothing scent of spiced cinnamon and coffee his sister always emitted assaulting his nose. Skylar rests her chin on his shoulder, her fingers clutching at the back of his tank top. It’s silent for a moment as the twins are acquainted. Words of apology begin to spill from Skylar’s lips as she sits in her brother’s lap.

“I-I’m so sorry Will. You were j-just trying to help and I-I said such hateful things to you.” She stammers as his long fingers stroke through her damp hair untangling any knots.

“Shh. Skylar it’s alright. I said some pretty nasty things too. I’m just glad you’re back safe and sound.” Will’s vibrant blue eyes inspect her closely for any injuries. Thankfully the bite she sustained from the Chimera healed up nicely leaving only a small scratch which she covered with a bandaid underneath her jeans.

“I told you I’d make it back to you.” She smiles resting her head on his shoulder as they swayed back and forth.

Will contemplates his next words carefully. “Did...did you find him while you were gone?” His arms squeeze her shoulders lightly when she stiffens.

“I saw Nico in a dream. He was talking to someone next to a fire in a cave somewhere. It’s possible it could've been in the Labyrinth. It adds up, Percy and Annabeth disappeared through the entrance who’s to say Nico didn’t as well? That’s why none of us could find him around camp that night. He went in and has been travelling through the maze ever since.” Skylar’s voice is soft as she speaks. “That boy has some nerve playing cat and mouse with me.”

“It’s not his fault, he lost his sister the only remaining family he had left. I’d be lost too if I were to lose you. You’re reckless and always volunteering for dangerous quests. But you are also selfless and compassionate. Which is why I understand your determination to seek out Nico. If there’s even a slim chance in saving someone you'll do it.” Will praises causing a blush to coat her freckled cheeks.

“Well aren’t you just a charmer Mr. Solace.” Skylar snickers untangling from his arms and rising to her feet. “I’d better get moving and help out where I can or my tough talking would be for nothing.” She offers her brother a hand pulling him to his feet. “I should probably check on Isaac too.”

“I left him with Lacy, he’s in good hands.” Will says nonchalantly picking up his clipboard and resuming his previous task.

“Lacy? Will come on. The girl is a sweetheart but she’ll talk your ear off if you ask too many questions.” She sighs running a hand down her face. “You did that on purpose didn’t you?”

A small smirk forms on his lips before hiding it with the clipboard. “I don’t know what you mean. All I did was leave Isaac with his siblings. If it just so happened to be Lacy doesn’t mean I planned it.” Skylar flicks his forehead with a playful scowl gathering her hair into a ponytail.

“The over protective brother came out for a little payback. I know how you are William.” She laughs softly exiting the cabin. Will chuckles to himself turning to face the bottles on display. Maybe he was protective but at least he had some fun with it.

Isaac Mackenzie swore to get Will back for this. He sat on a bed fitted with pastel green sheets deemed too bland for his fellow cabin mates. It’s a good thing green was his favorite color. Lacy ranted to him about how misunderstood Aphrodite kids were, with Isaac partially agreeing with some of her statements. Her voice bounced off the closet walls as she dug around for any spare clothes. She also informed him of how they weren’t allowed to sit with anyone but their siblings at dinner. Apparently the clothing he brought with him wasn’t good enough. Not that he cared. Isaac practically lived in oversized sweaters, jeans and t-shirts with funny sayings that his dad picked up for him during his trips.

“Uh Lacy? I appreciate you trying to help but I’m honestly fine with what I have.” Isaac removes the last article of clothing from his backpack folding it carefully and placing it inside the chest at the foot of his bed. His fingers reach inside for any leftover trinkets brushing against a book at the bottom. Intrigued he pulls it out a wave of nostalgia washing over him. A small smile graces his lips as he reads the words printed on the cover setting the book inside the trunk and slamming it closed.

“If you’re certain. I won’t judge you for it but some people can be a little...judgemental.” The blonde shrugs helplessly.

“Let them say what they need to make themselves feel better.” Isaac strides to the door turning the silver knob. “You shouldn’t listen to them either Lacy. You’re fine the way you are.” He departs stuffing his hands into his jean pockets. Blowing a stray piece of hair from his eyes he looks around for any sign of Skylar.

Forest green eyes fall on Ortus relaxing in the shade of a tall tree near the edge of the forest. Every couple of minutes an arrow would shoot out from the branches above not even fazing the horse. Taking that as his best bet, Isaac strolled across the grass until he’s right under the location where the arrows came from. A string of curses leave the archer’s mouth as they hang upside down from the branch, their face falling directly in front of his own. “Isaac it’s about time you showed up! Grab that bow next to Ortus and get your butt on up here!” Skylar grins at the brunet gesturing to the extra bow and quiver lying beside the pegasus.

“I dunno, I mean sure I’ve shot a bow before but I’ve only killed small things. Nothing bigger than a deer.” Isaac tells the blonde as she releases a few arrows into a target set in the distance still hanging upside down.

“Don’t doubt yourself or you’ll never succeed at anything. Now come on we’re burning daylight here Mackenzie!” She calls disappearing into the leaves. Isaac sighs at the girl struggling to climb the tree and wanting nothing more than to sleep.

After assessing just how adept Isaac was with a bow, Skylar gave him advice to improve his technique given their time limit. Once his quiver is fully empty and calming down a dryad that Isaac accidentally shot at it was time for a break. Taking a swig from her water bottle Skylar praises the boy, his tired body flopping onto the grass having climbed down from the tree. Sweat soaked through his shirt even after removing his sweater halfway through practice.

“You’re doing great! Maybe we’ll stick with a short ranged weapon for now though given how little time we have to prepare you.”

“Did you really need to have me retrieve every arrow? Some of them went way off course!” Green eyes glared up at the blue-eyed girl as she rolled her shirt sleeves up.

"It helps get your blood pumping and encourages you to actually hit the target.” Skylar smirks sitting down beside him.

“I’m pretty sure I have the whole weapon thing covered by the way.” Isaac lifts the locket around his neck for her to see. “It’s not just an accessory. According to my dad if I flip the clasp open it turns into a battle axe. Which is totally awesome.” Skylar agrees using Ortus as a pillow to stare up at the cloud filled sky.

“Indeed, however knowing how to wield it is a different matter. Your blade needs to be an extension of yourself. Swinging blindly at your opponent will just leave you full of openings.” Her fingers twirl around a bronze dagger the sunlight glistening off the sharp surface. Green eyes fixate onto the blonde.

“I thought Apollo children only used bows, how come you have that?” Isaac nods at the dagger. His fingers unclasp the locket around his neck summoning his own weapon. Whoever forged the axe made it entirely out of the finest silver they could muster. Only the edges of the double sided blade streaks of Imperial Gold running down them enabling its user to cut down any type of monster. Its handle which was tightly wrapped in strips of soft white leather, fit nicely in his palm.

Skylar stares at the battle axe in awe, admiring the craftsmanship. “Wow that really is a beauty. Your mom really knows how to pick them. To answer your previous question, I carry a second weapon in case either my bow breaks or I need to fight something at close range.”

Isaac mentally facepalms. Of course, that made total sense. “So you wanna go head to head with me?” He taunts stepping away to give a few practice swings almost falling over in the process. “Whoa! Okay I got this don’t worry. It’s just like swinging a bat.” He flashes Skylar a grin. A sigh escapes her lips as she glances at Ortus. They silently agreed it was going to be quite a long day.


	9. Loss and Forgiveness

Dinner that night was tense to say the least. Campers made idle chatter at their respective tables in an attempt to lighten the mood. After offering some food to their parents, Isaac and Skylar part ways. With an exhausted sigh she plops down in her spot next to Will. Every inch of her body ached after training with Isaac. He steadily improved as time passed however she hoped he stayed away from the front lines. The last thing Skylar needed was to have him sustaining a major injury. A knee belonging to Will pulls her from her thoughts. Tilting her head slightly she looks over at him only to realize everyone at their table is staring at her waiting for a response. They were discussing the Athena cabin’s battle plan when she zoned out and missed the question they asked.

“Sorry guys, what was the question?” Skylar asks, stealing some of Will’s french fries. He glares moving his plate out of reach promptly telling her to get her own food.

“Pay attention, this is serious Skylar. I asked if you knew where your station was. Maybe you should turn in early for the night. We need you focused and alert or you could get someone killed tomorrow.” Lee says from his seat across from Skylar. She was focused. Well partially. He could cut her some slack. It's not as if she goofed off today. Sure they were on edge but that didn’t give him reason to call her out. In between training with Isaac, the golden haired girl was also refining her own abilities. Thanks to the book Will found she learned how to better control her powers though it still drained her if she used it too much.

“Giver Skylar a break man we’ve all been working overtime. Plus she just got back from a quest this morning” Austin mutters stabbing a fork into his alfredo noodles.

A deep sigh greets his statement followed by said girl rising from her seat. “I probably should go to sleep early. See you guys tomorrow.” With a lazy wave she bids them good night ruffling Will’s hair and turning on her heel. Her feet carried her down the stone steps of the mess hall and to the Apollo cabin. Trudging to her bed, Skylar crashes onto it staring up at the wooden ceiling. Ocean eyes studied the beams supporting the roof before succumbing to a well deserved slumber.

Nico felt uncomfortable. Shadow travel has been a preferred method of transportation for him but Percy Jackson had other plans. His hands gripped the pegasus so tight his knuckles turned white. The ride he’d been forced to endure had been anything but pleasant. If it weren’t for the fact that the pegasus almost threw him to his death he might of somewhat enjoyed himself. On the other hand, his other companions flew through the sky without a single problem. Percy lead the group atop Blackjack, holding a conversation with Annabeth that flew beside him. Behind the pair was Grover on his own pegasus. The satyr had been silent ever since they departed from Pan’s final resting place. Tyson chattered happily with his pegasus promising to feed it lots of donuts when they returned to camp.

Scowling to himself Nico twirled the skull ring adorning his pale finger. He begrudgingly forgave Percy after Bianca begged him to. She’d mentioned that it was a fatal flaw of Hades children to hold grudges. There weren’t any to be held that he could recall. If anything other people have a problem with him without even knowing who he is. Grumbling to himself Nico allows his face to fall forward the fatigue he felt from traversing the Labyrinth catching up to him. With luck he won’t plummet to the ground and make it safely to Camp Half-blood.

Chocolate brown eyes watched her from afar. Golden hair pulled into a low ponytail, the same green cardigan wrapped around her waist, vibrant blue eyes completely focused on hooking armor onto a camper he didn't recognize. Nausea washed over him as her eyes locked with his when she turned to retrieve her bow from the ground. Shock and disbelief was evident in her blue orbs. _Don't come over here._ Nico mentally pleads as Skylar rubs her eyes believing she was hallucinating. Taking that as his way out he slips back into the shadows until it was time to defend camp.  
  
Fingers snap in front of Skylar's face dragging her attention back to the boy in front of her. “Something wrong? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.” Isaac frowns his forest green eyes trained on her. “If you’re nervous we can stick together.”

“No, it’s alright. See you when this is over.” She manages a small smile leaving his side to get into position.  

There’s no way that was Nico, it was just her mind playing tricks. Denying the possibility she readies her bow, training it in the direction of Zeus’s fist. _Good luck everyone._ The traps strategically placed around the entrance would halt most of the monsters allowing the archers to take down any slipping through the cracks. Chiron cut off his conversation with Percy to blow the conch horn as monsters scramble into camp.

All Hades broke loose. Battle cries from Clarisse and her siblings filled the air. Arrows soared through the air piercing any visible weak points in their opponent's armor. Percy could be spotted amongst the fray, Riptide slicing through the leg of a cyclops. Annabeth practically danced around a Dracaena with quick jabs of her dagger. Isaac swung his axe around in a circle giving himself some much needed breathing room. His helmet had been knocked off and a sizable gash on his forehead leaked blood into his right eye. Even Ortus took to the scene leading a group of pegasus to provide support through the air.

Catapults launched large boulders knocking cyclops to the ground giving a few campers the advantage swiftly turning them to gold dust. Skylar jumps from the tree she resided in narrowly dodging a flaming brass cannonball. The explosion that followed threw her off her feet and tumbling through the dirt. Ears ringing and head pounding Skylar struggles to stand trying to gather her bearings. The surrounding area was chaotic. Mangled bodies of fallen demigods and golden dust flurried in the wind.

From the corner of her eye Skylar spots an army of undead soldiers bashing their way through the crowd preventing monsters from reaching the cabins. Arms aching she raises her bow to aid their efforts. In the direction they came from her blue eyes land on the one who summoned the soldiers. His body sat hunched over on the ground wisps of black smoke coming off his clothes. Adrenaline coursed through her as she darted over to the fallen figure to offer healing. Half-lidded brown eyes looked up at the new presence. A sword as dark as the night gripped in the boy’s pale fingers.

“Oh my gods...Nico.” Skylar breathes gently setting him against the trunk of a tree. Her hands glow singing a quick hymn. It was all she could manage at the moment, hoping it would be enough to get him back on his feet.

“I’m...fine.” Nico mumbles pushing at her hands. The battle was nowhere near over and he didn’t want her wasting her energy on him. “Just give me a minute.”

“Summoning the dead takes its toll I’m sure. Don’t you dare do it again. I need to get back in there.” She replied patting his head and forcing her legs to run. Mr. Runaway actually came back to camp and she appreciated his help more than anything. Hopefully they both lived through this.

A sickening crack resounds through the air as a monster unlike any Skylar had ever seen enters the scene. Half of its body was that of a woman while the rest was a dragon. Green reptilian skin covered the entirety of her form, hair completely made out of snake heads snapping in every direction. Large razor sharp claws dug into the earth with every step. Twin scimitars sliced through the air, the vapor they emitting putting Skylar on high alert. It’s putrid odor made the hair on the back of her neck stand on end. Poison. Percy appears at Skylar’s side shouting to be heard.

“Annabeth and I will take care of her! You go help our forces to the left!” The blonde nods in understanding taking off in the direction he requested. _They’ll be fine, they work best together._ Skylar convinces herself.

Percy and Annabeth begin to take on the giant beast leaving her to assist elsewhere. If anything she would just get in the way of them. Jumping over debri and diving under swinging blades Skylar fights off a hellhound plunging her dagger into it’s flesh. Not too far away is a giant. Wrapped in its grasp is the struggling body of Lee Fletcher. Her heart hammered against her ribcage at the sight. An onslaught of arrows dig into it’s skin in an attempt to free the struggling counselor. Enraged the giant’s arms begin to flail slamming down at the ground much to Skylar’s horror.

It all happened in slow motion. One minute Lee was airborne. The next his body plummeted to the ground with so much force his skull caved in. Blood poured from the wound swiftly coating the surrounding area in the crimson liquid. Any sign of life now long forgotten.

“LEE!!!” Skylar’s anguished scream rips through the air. Anger and desperation courses in her veins running over to her fallen brother. Vibrant glowing surrounds the area radiating from her body. Shards of light as sharp as daggers shoot from her fingers into the giant’s body from one end and out the other. Strangled cries escape its throat before bursting into gold dust.

Overcome with dizziness Skylar collapses onto the dirt. Warm liquid seeped through the fabric of her jeans as she looked at Lee’s body. Black spots danced across her vision from overexerting her powers. Partially conscious Skylar lies there listening to the war raging around her. She wanted to move but her limbs screamed in protest. Any adrenaline she’d previously been functioning on was now depleted.

“We’ve barely made a scratch on her!” Percy grunts dodging another one of Kampe’s attacks. Poison oozed off the blade threatening to eat at his skin. Annabeth panted beside him, her blonde bangs sticking to her forehead.

“Maybe if you didn’t send Skylar away she could of helped us seaweed brain.” Her silver eyes glance over at Percy with a slight glare. If something didn’t change the camp will be overrun and everyone will perish.

Loud howling breaches the air. Mrs. O’Leary barrels onto the scene taking down a hellhound in her way. Behind her Daedalus arrives alongside Briares in his true form. The giant bounds over to them throwing massive boulders at Kampe with each of his hundred hands. Tyson could be heard cheering not too far off, delighted to see Briares. Kampe wails as she’s buried under the rubble before becoming completely silent. The tide had begun to change with the help of the new arrivals. Grover seizes the opportunity letting out a strange and terrifying cry, a gift given to him from Pan. Monsters quivered at the sound scrambling back into the entrance to the Labyrinth.

However it was only a temporary fix and as long as the maze still stood the army could invade as much as they pleased. For now they’d care for the wounded. Rations of both Nectar and Ambrosia are passed around as the Apollo kids make their rounds. Makeshift stretchers were made for those who couldn’t make their way into the infirmary. Chiron, who broke one of his legs, sat in his wheelchair hiding the horse portion of his body. Percy finds Nico resting against a tree offering him some Nectar. The raven accepts sipping at the liquid feeling strength return to his body.

Isaac having already patched his wounds set out to find Skylar. He locates his friend being treated by one of her siblings, Kayla. White hot pain flared up her arm, her teeth grinding every time it was moved. Having already taken the maximum amount of Nectar they went with the next best thing. It thankfully wasn't broken but the pain made it seem so. Skylar assumed it happened halfway through the battle and the adrenaline prevented her from feeling the torment. Her arm was set in a sling for precautionary measures and instructed not to move it. Nodding slightly she agrees and Kayla departs giving them some alone time.  
  
Wordlessly Skylar's fingers brush over the bandage covering Isaac's forehead and right eye. Most likely he'll have a sizable scar but his curly brown hair should cover it. Guilt washed over her at the fact she couldn't prevent it. Isaac grips her hand in his, pulling her into a careful hug. He heard the news about what happened to Lee and rushed to find her. Tears refused to fall from her eyes. A hollow feeling built up in her chest. They stood there for a few minutes but it felt like hours.

Softly Skylar asks for his support in walking over to group of campers he'd never seen until the battle. Taking her hand in his own, he guides Skylar over to them allowing most of her weight to fall on him. A ghost of a smile is flashed at him fading as quick as it appeared. The fact that Isaac may lose his eyesight in one eye did nothing to lighten her mood.

With the battle at an end for the moment, Daedalus come up with a proposition. He’d offer his soul in order to finally pass on and also save the camp. What the son of Hades chooses to do with it was entirely up to him. Annabeth receives his laptop in hopes that she will complete all the plans he was never able to finish. He entrusts Mrs O’Leary’s care to Percy who promises to look after her earning a slobbery lick. Skylar watches the scene clutching the metal box she received from Quintus before her quest. Finding out he was actually Daedalus, the creator of the infamous Labyrinth came as a surprise. Now seemed like a better time than any to crack it open.

With Isaac’s assistance she opens the small object flooding the area in a blinding light. Shouts of protest follow as everyone shields their eyes. When the light dies down ocean eyes look inside to see a [golden band](https://i.pinimg.com/originals/56/f7/26/56f7269b8be3e77e442e521a63a8cfa6.jpg) engraved with multiple suns.

“In my past I’ve done many things I’m not proud of. That includes stealing from the sun god himself. To atone I relinquish one of your father’s relics to you Skylar Solace, daughter of Apollo. It is a mighty bow with an inseverable string. Much like young Percy’s sword, it harbors its own history with the name Oxýthymos.” Daedalus sums up as Skylar places the ring on her finger.

“Spitfire, how fitting. I promise to take good care of it sir. I’m sure my dad appreciates you returning it.” She smiles slightly. The older man nods back at the blonde turning to face Nico.

“I’ve learned that Bianca should stay where she is. Bringing her back would tarnish the sacrifice she made.” Nico unsheathes his Stygian iron sword. “If it’s your wish then I shall carry it out.” Daedalus gives him the go ahead and the sword runs through his body releasing him from the confines of life and into the Underworld. With his sacrifice the Labyrinth collapses sealing off the entrance into Camp Half-blood preventing Kronos’s army from invading again.

“Just when I think my life couldn’t get any stranger a walking corpse makes an old man disappear into thin air.” Isaac speaks in astonishment. Nico glares daggers at him for the corpse comment. So what if he was a little pale? That didn’t automatically mean he was the walking dead. Percy walks off with Annabeth as she inspects her new laptop marveling at the schematics it held. Her dreams of becoming an architect very prominent. Skylar nudges Isaac making it known she wants to talk to Nico alone. After much protesting from Isaac and awkward shuffling on Nico’s part, the son of Aphrodite agrees leaving to help elsewhere.

“I’m sorry. About what happened to Lee.” Nico apologizes to Skylar as if it was his own fault her brother passed on. “He doesn’t blame you for what happened.”

“If I’d tried more maybe I could of...” Rubbing her eyes she stares down at the bloodstains on her jeans. “I can’t even shed tears for him. What kind of monster am I?”

“You aren’t, we all process grief differently. It might not of sunk in yet.” _Mine was accompanied by anger after all._ He thinks to himself. “I could feel how close you were to draining your own life force. Any more and you would of joined him.” He states at the fact she almost threw her life away.

Skylar grips her head trying to comprehend everything coursing through her. Nico steps forward silently his hands twitching by his side. He desperately tried to forget her even going as far as to burn the Mythomagic cards they used to play together. She takes a shaky step reaching her hand up to his cheek. A loud slap echoed through the trees and the son of Hades stumbles back in surprise. He didn’t know what to expect meeting again after yelling how much he hated her. Maybe a hug or a good scolding but not a slap to his face. Hot angry tears welled up in Skylar’s eyes as she stomped forward once more. Nico braced himself for another hit, closing his eyes tightly in anticipation. Only it never came.

A warm sensation engulfs his ice cold hand pulling him to an unknown destination. Reluctantly he complies and they arrive at the cliff overlooking Long Island Sound. Skylar begins to pace around his body, eyeing his appearance. Shaggy obsidian locks, deep chocolate brown eyes accompanied by dark circles, and a thin pale body. A complete contrast to the boy she knew but deep inside somewhere he was that same little boy that loved Mythomagic. At least she hoped. Not that she minded the way he was now, it would just take some getting used to. His hands subconsciously brushed through his hair at her burning gaze. She plops onto the grass gesturing for him to do the same. Nico complies grumbling that he didn’t have time for this.

“Can you say something already?” Nico snaps growing impatient.

"What do you want me to say Nico? That I searched for you for months trying to make sure you were still alive? Blaming myself countless times for leaving you to fend for yourself." Her dull blue eyes stared straight ahead refusing to look at him.  
  
"Maybe the fact that you look sickly and despite everything I'm so happy to see you." She finishes, everything crashes down on her shoulders. Losing Lee, seeing Nico outside of her dreams, the battle they endured and the death of Daedalus. As mad as she wanted to be at the son of Hades she couldn't bring herself to do it.  
  
Ruffling his raven locks Nico begins to explain what he's been doing since vanishing on that cold winter night. Skylar listens intently to his slightly raspy voice. He told her how he tried to find a way to bring Bianca back to life. Having blamed Percy for her death he couldn't stay at camp and ended up in Daedalus's Labyrinth. Although, now he forgave Percy and the two are on decent terms. Confessing how he's able to talk to ghosts and raise the dead. Which surprising to him, Skylar found fascinating. The manipulation Minos forced him to endure until banishing him back to the Underworld. Nico stopped caring about living only allowing the grudge he held to keep him going. Speaking with Bianca allowed him a bit of closure. Obviously he still missed her and would love to have her by his side but it wasn't meant to be.  
  
"Did this Minos guy have a voice like nails on a chalk board?" Skylar asks once he finishes.  
  
"Not really, just similar to an old geezer." Nico raises an eyebrow at her. "Why do you want to know?"  
  
"No particular reason, just curious." Her hands tug the cardigan tightly around her body as silence consumes them.  
  
It seemed like hours before the silence is broken once more by Nico. "So is that guy you were with your boyfriend?" He questions and Skylar almost jumps off the cliff to hide her embarrassment.  
  
"N-no! Not at all! Isaac is just a friend, I'm the one that brought him to camp and we just sort of became good...friends. Kind of like how you and I are. We're still friends right? I'd like to think we are. We did make a promise in this very spot after all." She smiles slightly holding up her pinky for emphasis wiggling it slightly.

  
 _Could've fooled me with how touchy he was with you._ He mentally sighs. A small blush appears on Nico's pale face at the memory that felt so long ago. He'd cried in front of Skylar that night after eavesdropping on a conversation between her and her dad. It was one of the few memories he cherished. “Yeah, and I told you we were too old for pinky promises but you wouldn’t take no for an answer.”

Skylar only shrugs looking out across the water. If she didn’t just fight in a battle, lose a sibling and didn’t have an arm in a sling she’d call this day perfect. Nico was finally by her side again and Camp Half-blood was now safe from Kronos. Her aquamarine eyes drift over to her companion. “I saved all your things you left behind so the kids in Hermes cabin wouldn’t steal anything.”

“Right...Skylar I don’t know if I’m going to stay.” Nico says quietly unable to meet her gaze. “The son of Hades himself doesn’t really fit in around here if you couldn’t already tell.” He’s greeted with silence and half of him wonders if she’d heard him. Fingers intertwine with his drawing a dusty rose to his cheeks.

“Camp Half-blood isn’t for everyone. That being said you’ll always be welcome here by me. Just let me be a little selfish for once in my life and enjoy your company for a few more days? ” He accepts her request squeezing her hand with his own. What’s the worst that could happen to him in the span of a few days?


	10. Closure

Shrouds of varying colors covered the bodies of the deceased. Per Skylar’s unusual request those demigods who fought for Kronos were also given the same treatment. Her logic was that no matter if they strayed onto the wrong path they were all once fellow campers. Standing beside his fallen twin, Pollux sputtered out a speech about Castor in memorial. A few other campers who were Castor’s friends stepped up to say a few words. Even Mr. D said something somewhat pleasant about his child. Not much was said for the rogue campers being as they were deemed traitors. Then it was down to one last boy. Lee Fletcher.

Michael volunteered to go first being as he was elected as head counselor in an extremely short amount of time. That and none of the other Apollo children were quite up to the task at the moment.

“Lee was a stand up guy. I couldn’t tell you how many times he’s saved my ass from getting into fights.” A cough from Chiron warns him to watch his language. “He was one of the bravest people I knew. Always volunteering for border patrol so the rest of us didn’t have to. Even going as far as letting me win at arm wrestling to boost my ego.” Michael clears his throat as his voice begins to crack. “Anyway Lee, watch over us until it’s our time to join you. I’m sure you made it into Elysium and are having a damn good time.” He steps away from the podium to sit beside Kayla, his brown eyes burning with unshed tears. Her hand reaches over to subtly pat his back while he put up a strong front.

Austin Lake steps up next diving right into his speech. “When I couldn’t decide what song to use in my music videos Lee always stayed up late and we spitballed ideas until coming up with the perfect one. Anybody who knew him could tell he was a cool dude. Now that he’s gone it just...seems so surreal. Lee went down swinging and that’s how I’ll remember him.” Austin retreats back to his seat with Kayla taking his place.

“What is there to say? Lee was always looking out for us but he always pushed us to be the best at our talents. Kids used to ridicule me for who my parent was and that my hair was a little different. I started to believe they were right until one day he pulled me aside and said ‘Who cares about your background or the color of your hair? Ignore the haters they’ll never be half the archer you are.’” Kayla’s lip begins to quiver and she rushes to finish. “We won’t forget him.” She rubs at her eyes and Will pats her shoulder as she passes him. Skylar grips Nico’s hand who currently sat beside her. Sadness was clawing at her insides at the sight of her siblings. She was the only one yet to shed a tear, even Will who almost never cried had small tears pricking the corners of his eyes.

“Lee basically was the glue that held the Apollo cabin together. Like any family we were far from perfect. We’d butt heads, especially Skylar and I, leaving Lee to break it up and force us to compromise. I used to envy him when I first started coming to Camp Half-blood. He was so good at everything and the best singer of us all. We had a singing competition between the two of us. I knew my voice wasn’t up to par with his so when I won my view on him changed.” Will smiled to himself. “Lee knew how much I envied him so he threw the match to make a point. Trying to outdo each other never made a difference to him. I guess in the end I really looked up to him and he’ll forever be in my memory.” His blue eyes blur as he makes his way back to sit down.

Finally Skylar walks up to the podium after encouragement from both Nico and Isaac. Her fingers gripped the marble in front of her as she found the words. “I idolized Lee. He was the type of person I aspired to be in life. Selfless, encouraging, kind, strong, and so full of promise. My first day at camp was scary to say the least. I stuck to Will like glue and wouldn’t talk to anyone. But Lee was patient. For a week he struggled to coax me out of my shell ultimately introducing me to my now favorite instrument. Everyone put him on this pedestal when in reality he was just like the rest of us. His Haikus were awful too.”

This earns a slight chuckle from a few campers. Skylar swallowed the bile rising in her throat. “I watched the giant as he mercilessly crushed my brother’s skull into the earth. If I’d done more he would still be here laughing and joking beside us. He...didn’t deserve to die.” It’s as if a dam broke, all of the tears she held flooded out at once. “I-I’m so sorry Lee.” Covering her face with her hand she bolts from the area.

Isaac follows swiftly after her, Nico right behind him. Percy, who was hovering by the exit, grabs the back of Nico’s jacket. Annabeth does the same to Isaac halting the boys in their tracks. They told them to just give the blonde girl some time alone. She needed to sort out her emotions on her own. At first Percy was going to chase after her but Annabeth held him back with a shake of her head. Even her silver eyes were clouded with emotion.

“Yeah, hanging around a son of Hades wouldn’t help her cope.” Isaac mutters tugging at his shirt sleeve.

“So you think a son of Aphrodite would be better suited? What are you going to do charm her into believing it never happened? She’d never accept it.” Nico retorts.

“Just because you’re here for a few days won’t change anything you know. You’ll leave and she’ll be upset so I’ll be the one helping her cope with it just like before.” The green eye boy hisses, his jealousy getting the best of him. He couldn’t stand how buddy buddy Nico and Skylar were when she’s the only friend he has at this camp. Turning on his heel, Isaac departs in the direction of his cabin before Nico can reply. Nico scowls at the son of Aphrodite half tempted to send an undead soldier after him. Who did he think he was involving himself in someone else’s business.

Each burial shroud was burned to conclude the ceremony. The campers were released to return to their lives mainly to rest after a long tiring day. Others dispersed to the mess hall for some well deserved food. Not knowing where to go Nico chooses to hang around under the shade of a tree overlooking the strawberry fields. Mrs. O’Leary curls up beside him emitting snores almost as soon as her head hits the ground. Isaac returns to his cabin flopping onto his bed and flipping through the pages of his photo album. Just another day at Camp Half-blood.

That night the annual singalong around the campfire is held without Skylar. Nobody has seen a trace of her since the funeral. Ortus was also missing from the stables so Will wasn’t too worried. He figured she went out for a flight to clear her head and would return before curfew. Nico on the other hand was beginning to grow impatient. The only reason he stayed at this place was because of Skylar and she left him behind. Sure he understood what it was like to lose a family member but he couldn’t help but feel a tad bitter. He gazed up at the stars deep in thought. A bag of fast food and six pack of soda rested in his lap. Nico had a plan, all he had to do now was find Skylar.

Elsewhere Skylar sat staring at the same sky through the trees of the eastern forest. Ortus laid beside her, his muzzle buried in her golden locks. The tears she shed stopped hours ago leaving her eyes red and puffy. “It’s all my fault.” She groans shoving her face in her knees. High-pitched neighs come from her pegasus as Nico slinks out of the shadows. Skylar rests a hand on his muzzle to calm him down nodding at her friend. “H-hey. What’s up with the happy meal?” She asks rubbing at her eyes.

“Well, I have an idea but I want you to trust me.” Nico sets down the items onto the ground. The blonde tilts her head at his request. Of course she trusted him. Skylar brings Otrus a few feet away to calm him down. The pegasus nibbles at her hair before trotting away back toward the stables.

Meanwhile Nico set to work on the ritual for summoning the spirits of the dead. He first dug a pit into the earth, dirt caking his fingernails. “We’re going to try summoning a ghost. I’m not one hundred percent sure it will work since I’ve only done it a handful of times.” His voice reaches her ears drawing her closer to help only to be stopped by his hand. “Stand back until the ritual is over.” Brushing his hands off on his jeans, he empties the food out of the bag along with all six cans of soda into the freshly dug pit.

“Um okay. Just be careful I don’t want you to faint or anything.” Nico rolls his eyes at her comment.

“Alright mom I promise to be careful when raising the dead. Now be quiet so I can concentrate.” Skylar pouts at his sarcasm watching in silence as her friend chants in Ancient Greek. The ground began to shake erratically as the earth accepted Nico’s offering. Smokey figures made their way to the food in hopes of having a taste. Some cower back at the sight of the ghost king as his dark eyes search through the growing crowd for a specific person.

“L-Lee Fletcher.” He demands. Spine chilling protests come from the wispy shapes but make way for a specific entity. Floating to the pit, the smokey image begins to take shape. Skylar’s blue eyes widen in shock at the boy floating before them. She faintly hears Nico dispersing the other ghosts back to the earth from which they came and joining her side.

“Huh..? Skylar?” Hearing Lee’s voice again brought a fresh wave of tears to her eyes.

“I can’t keep him here for long but you need closure.” The dark haired boy speaks quietly stuffing his hands into his pocket.

“Lee, I’m so sorry, It’s all my fault that giant got to you. If I just moved sooner you wou-”

“Don’t you dare blame yourself for this. I was a casualty of war and you need to accept that. If you want to blame someone then blame Kronos and help take him out for good.” Lee speaks sternly moving to rest his transparent hand on her head. “You’re tougher than this Skylar, keep your chin up.”

“I-I will. Thank you for everything.” Sniffling, she forces back the tears.

“See you Skylar, try not to get into too much trouble. Oh and there's something for Will in my desk. Give it to him for me.” Lee’s eyes fall onto Nico. “Don’t hurt her or I’ll haunt you to the ends of Tartarus.” He warns, his body flickering.

“Lee be nice.” Skylar scolds but smiles at Nico.

“I won’t, she’s my...best friend.” The Ghost King promises hiding his face in his jacket. With a chuckle Lee vanishes into the cool air leaving them alone. Chocolate brown eyes drift over to the quiet female only to be grabbed in a one-armed hug. Muffled words of appreciation spout from her lips as she buries her face into his aviator jacket. Careful not to hurt her arm, Nico wraps Skylar in a loose and somewhat awkward hug.

“Curfew is soon, if we’re not back the harpies will have our heads.” He mumbles into her hair. Normally he’d just shadow travel back to camp but his body was basically running on fumes at this point.

Taking his hand in her own Skylar lights the way back to the cabins. A soft tune he can’t quite place filling the quiet walk. Nico’s mind was too focused on the fact that she willingly held his hand. Him. A son of Hades. The Ghost King. An outcast. Noticing his silence Skylar squeezes his hand in reassurance.

“If you want you can crash on the cot we have set up in the Apollo cabin.”

“I don’t think that’s a good idea. Your siblings might not be as accepting of a child of Hades as you are. Besides, Chiron set a bed up for me in The Big House.” Denying her invitation he gestures over his shoulder to the blue house in the distance.

“M’kay, no biggie. Goodnight Nico, and thank you for everything.” A soft pair of lips brush against his pale cheeks briefly. Skylar gives him one last smile retreating into her cabin.

Nico’s obsidian eyes widen in surprise. The tips of his ears becoming red in embarassment to match his equally flushed cheeks. Barely registering the sound of a door opening and closing, he stumbles down the steps of cabin seven. Stray campers turning in for the night stopped to whisper as a certain ravenette fought the smile gracing his lips. For the first time in a while Nico would get a good night’s sleep.

Camp Half-blood slowly went back to normal. At first glance you never would've noticed there was a battle. In just a few weeks time campers will pack up and go home if they choose. However it seemed more and more were beginning to stay at camp year round die to increased monster activity in larger cities. Isaac was now one of those campers, since his house was attacked by a Chimera and his dad sent him away. He would of loved it more if he didn’t go through around three life or death situations within the span of four days. Also, this new rite of passage his fellow siblings were explaining to him seemed pretty crummy.

“So basically what you’re saying is I need to get someone to fall in love with me and break their heart or I’ll never be a full fledged child of Aphrodite? That’s nuts.” Isaac tells Mitchell running a had through his wavy brown hair.

“Hey it’s not like I came up with it. It’s just been tradition since before I even started coming here. I sucks but the sooner you do it the less you have to worry about it.” Mitchell shrugs flipping the page of his magazine.

“Easy for you to say, you’ve done it before.” His green eyes narrow slightly at his half-brother.

“Yeah but for me it was a total accident. I didn’t even know I was a child of Aphrodite at the time.”

“Dude have you seen me? I’m the kind of guy girls only have as their best friends. I get nervous around crowds of people and I’m painfully awkward at social events. My ideal date is staying home alone eating pizza and watching Netflix.” Isaac rants pacing around the cabin. Lacy who had been doing her nails on her bed chimes in.

“Some girls like that though! I tried to find you a new wardrobe but you turned me down.” She pouts applying more fuchsia to her nails.

“Hey what about Apollo girl, Skylar? She’s around your age. You guys are pretty chummy already just take it a step further and when the time comes crush her chances. Better act soon though or death breath will steal her first. Might wanna wait until that face of yours heals too. Don’t want to scare the ladies away.” Dustin, another son of Aphrodite, tells Isaac from across the room as he styles his bleach blond hair.

He was one sibling Isaac didn’t particularly care for. Sure he had the body of an underwear model and the brightest baby blue eyes you’ll ever see but his personality was horrid. Dustin was also one to take full advantage of his gifts trying to score with every girl at camp. Just the thought alone made Isaac want to barf.

“I don’t know...she’s my friend if I did that she’d probably never speak to me again.” He frowns tugging at his sweater sleeves not liking the idea. 

“Who cares? You’re the newbie, you can make friends with whoever you want. One Apollo kid that hangs out with death itself sure isn't worth it to me. Just seduce the girl, break her heart and move on. You heard her yesterday, she killed her own bro-” Dustin’s words are cut off as a fist connects with the side of his face sending him to the floor.

Isaac pounces on the the fake blond his green eye, not covered by a bandage, burning with anger. His fist collides with the boy’s nose before being thrown off and punched repeatedly in the face. Lacy squeaks in alarm accidentally spilling her nail polish. Mitchell jumps at the sudden outburst trying to pull the two apart.

“How dare you talk about her that way!” Isaac growls aiming more punches at his half-sibling's face.

“You’re going to pay for messing with me bastard!” Dustin shouts lifting Isaac off the floor by his sweater and shoving him against the wall. The brunet struggles to shove him off resorting to kicking his leg out from under them. Resulting in the two ending up back on the floor.

“Guys cut it out! Lacy go find help!” Mitchell demands falling back to clutch his cheek after Dustin landed a stray hit on him.

“O-okay!” She squeals fleeing out the door and screaming for help. Isaac yelps in pain as he’s nailed in his injured eye. The two roll around on the floor knocking over a vanity and all its contents. Glass bottles shattered, its pieces littering the floor. Isaac’s hand grabs ahold of Dustin’s dyed hair slamming his face into the floor.

“You’re such an asshole!” Isaac seethes jamming his knee into Dustin’s stomach only to earn a kick to his side in return.

“Shove off you damn freak!” Dustin grunts pressing his shoe deeper into Isaac’s injury. Footsteps thunder onto the scene bursting through the cabin door. The boys are ripped apart struggling against the campers holding them back. Beckendorf locks Dustin’s arms behind his back so he can’t move.

“Let me go! Someone needs to teach him a lesson.” Isaac grumbles fighting against Percy and Clarisse. He was surprisingly strong for someone with such a lean build.

“Someone tell me what in Hades is going on!” Silena demands looking between the two boys. Dustin spits out some blood from his split lip claiming he did nothing wrong and was defending himself. To which Isaac called him lying manwhore earning a stern glare from Silena. Mitchell who stood holding his cheek explained the situation leading up to the fight.

“Dustin you should've known he’d react badly but that still doesn’t give you the excuse to go around punching your siblings Isaac.” Sighing to herself Silena asks for the two to be escorted separately to the infirmary. Blood was streaming from Dustin’s nose and lip while Isaac’s old wounds reopened and housed a very prominent bruise on his jaw.  Clarisse leaves the escorting of Isaac up to Percy stating she had better things to do. Beckendorf releases Dustin’s arms dragging him by his shirt in the direction of the big house.

It was sort of a known rule that if you had a problem with someone you would solve it in a civilized one on one match in the arena. This way random fights like the one that just occurred rarely happened. On the off chance that they did it was always out of sight and kept on the down low. But this fight half the camp heard so trying to keep it a secret would end up pointless. Once Chiron and Mr. D hear about this the two boys will have weeks filled with chores. What a joyous day in Camp Half-blood.


	11. To the Limit

Grumbling to himself Percy walks with the green-eyed boy who fell silent. “You sure decked him good.” He smirked earning a slight smile from Isaac. The son of Poseidon seemed like a pretty cool guy. Part of him expected someone stuck up from how highly most of the campers spoke of him. It was refreshing to see he was just a normal guy.

“I couldn’t just let him talk about Skylar that way. My dad always taught me to respect women so naturally Dustin rubs me the wrong way.”

“I’m not downing you, I probably would've done the same thing if he was talking trash about a friend.” Percy shrugs as they walk to the Apollo cabin. It probably wasn’t a good idea for the two to be in the same building for a while. “Will should be inside and he’ll patch you up. Just next time you want to get into a fight save it for the arena. You can get away with a lot more that way.”

They share a chuckle knocking on the wooden door. A few seconds later the door swings open revealing the camp’s top medic. “Ouch, Isaac I told you no training until your eye heals. Come on in you two.” Will steps aside allowing the duo to walk in, closing the door behind them. “Percy, Skylar’s in the back if you want to say hi while I take care of this one.” Will informs leading Isaac to a cot and pulling out fresh bandages. The son of Poseidon nods leaving the room to seek out the female.

Skylar hums softly bending the light produced by her fingers to create shapes. So far all she could manage to create were flowers, butterflies, fish, and if she concentrated really hard, a skull. Morbid yes but still an accomplishment. Nico sat beside her on the bed shuffling through a deck of Mythomagic cards he gave to Skylar. He was only allowed to use them after Skylar made him promise not to burn them for being as he set fire to all his remaining decks. It was the only one she owned after all.

To Percy’s surprise they were joined by Pollux who sat at Skylar’s desk quietly weaving a flower crown. Skylar found him staring aimlessly at the breakfast table this morning and invited him to her cabin. She suggested he make flower crowns to keep his mind off of losing Castor. He accepted figuring anything could help him cope. Skylar picked the flowers for him ahead of time,after asking the right people for permission of course, so he could get to work right away. Sort of a method of therapy if you will.

“Hey waterboy! Welcome to Casa de Solace.” Resting her back against the headboard Skylar greets Percy with a grin.

“I should've known you two would be together. Hey Pollux.” He greets the boy in the corner with a nod which he politely returns. The two of them weren’t exactly close. “Changed your mind about leaving camp Nico?” Percy questions pushing Skylar over to sit and stealing a card from his hand. An annoyed expression crosses Nico’s face as he reaches for the card only to have it held out of his reach. Skylar flicks him in the forehead mumbling about how it was her bed.

“I’m still leaving, my departure has just been...delayed.” His eyes snap to Skylar who was looping the light to make a moustache on her face. A soft giggle coming from her as a result. The corners of his mouth twitch at the sight. She was really an eccentric girl.

“Oh by the way, that new kid Isaac got into a fight with Dustin. Gave the guy a fat lip and bloody nose. I kind of wish we didn’t have to break it up, he had it coming eventually. The guy’s a tool.” Skylar’s eyes widen at Percy’s words sitting up straight.

“What?! Oh come on.” She groans twisting the ring on her finger anxiously.

“Relax, I’m sure he’s fine. Right Jackson?” Nico shoots the older boy a look saying that if he didn’t agree he’d cut him.

“H-He’s in very capable hands don’t worry.” Percy waves his hands to ease her anxiety.  Excusing herself she makes her way into the central room of the cabin where Will was patching her friend up.

“Why is it every time I leave you alone you end up injured?” She jokes lightly. “You promised your dad not to cause trouble here.

Isaac shoots her a sheepish grin. “Dustin kept running his mouth so I hit him.” Will raises a brow at the fact that he was hiding the truth. Surely he’d tell his friend exactly what happened. He did do it for her after all.

“Dustin can be a jerk I know but punching him in the face isn’t the answer. Though I would've loved to see the look on his face when it happened.” She mutters the last part earning a warning look from her brother. “Anyway, you wanna tell me exactly what happened? I can’t imagine you picking a fight without a justified cause.”

Isaac winces at will presses antiseptic around his eye. The skin was turning a deep purple color around the gash he sustained. “He was... going off about how you hung around dea- I mean Nico and killed your own brother. Was I just supposed to ignore him?” He grumbles tapping his finger against his knee. A nervous habit he’s had since he was small. Purposely leaving out the part involving the Aphrodite tradition deciding to deal with it on his own. There’s no rule stating he has to go through with it after all. It’s not like Isaac planned on going with the flow. He was his own person with his own beliefs and style.

“Ahh, the rumors have begun huh? Though I admit the part about Lee does sting, thanks to Nico I realize it’s not true. People have nothing better to do with their lives so they pick on the people who are a little different.” Her hand reaches over to ruffle Isaac’s hair after Will finishes patching him up. “Thank you for what you did but next time just ignore it. I don’t want the infirmary visits to become a regular thing.” Isaac blushes lightly giving her a nod.

“I’d stick around but Silena said something about talking to Mr. D.” The green-eyed boy sighs rising to his feet. He promises to meet up with her later after he serves his punishment. The twins each bid him goodbye in their own way.

Will turns to her, his vibrant blue eyes looking at her expectantly. Confused she tilts her head at him. As far as she knew there wasn’t anything they needed to discuss at the moment. But the look in her brother’s eyes definitely say otherwise.

“So when were you going to tell me?” He questions.

“It depends on what you are referring to. Was I supposed to tell you something?” Skylar takes a seat on the stool across from him.

“Now you know I don’t normally listen to the gossip because there’s never a point to it. This time was different because the facts are pretty solid.”

“Will, what are we even talking about right now?” She sighs wishing he would get to the point.

“You and Nico are getting close. A few campers saw you two on the front porch to our cabin last night.” Skylar’s face flushes at this. The memories of last night flooding back to her.

“I-It was just a kiss on the cheek, not that big of a deal. ”

“Seemed like it was to him. Lacy passed by him last night and said he was fighting a huge smile. I’m all for you guys being friends. Just don’t go rushing into anything.” Will tells her patting her leg and packing up his equipment. A thoughtful expression crosses her face. She was just thanking him for all he’s done for her. If anything she just wanted him to know he wasn’t alone. It had to of been Lacy’s imagination. Yeah, that’s it. Sighing to herself she decides to check in on Pollux.

At the beginning Pollux found the process to be lame but as time ticked by he became quite good at making crowns. Each of them had their own color pattern and unique way they were held together. Pollux holds up one crown woven with thin vines and delicate white and yellow daffodils placing it on her head. The flower’s mild aroma brought a content smile to her face. Blue eyes drifted to the partially finished headpiece in his hands. Deep purple almost black flowers were intertwined in a circle. Skylar remembers Juniper, Grover’s girlfriend, telling her they were called Hellebores flowers. They were toxic if consumed but their rich purple color was gorgeous. This gave Skylar an idea.

“Hey Pollux when you’re finished with that one can I take it off your hands?” She asks leaning on the wall by her desk.

“Sure, I don’t really have a use for them. They’re just…” Pollux trails off thinking of the right word.

“Therapeutic?” She supplies to which he nods in agreement. They make idle chatter as the older teen continues to work. Back on Skylar’s bed Percy and Nico were having a conversation of their own. Rather, Percy was talking and Nico was trying his best to ignore him.

“Sooo you’re dead set on not staying at camp? We can build a cabin for Hades and everything.” His persistence was starting to annoy Nico. Obsidian eyes narrow at the son of Poseidon.

“Children of Hades are meant to be alone. We don’t belong anywhere so why don’t you just drop it?” He hisses throwing down the cards in his hand onto the mattress. Percy had originally been quite understanding with his choice to leave but now it seems he’ll do all he can to make Nico stay. Skylar halts her conversation with Pollux to look over at the commotion concern evident in her eyes.

“You have friends here, you’re just too busy pushing us away to see it.” Percy counters and Nico has had enough. Anger flashes across his face and he rises to his feet putting distance between him and the green-eyed boy.

"Just leave me alone Jackson! You wouldn’t understand what it’s like to be me. Listening to the thoughts of the dead, hearing them fill your head with whispers of how I’ll never fit in. That I’m a freak!” Nico shouts glaring harshly at Percy. Skylar tiptoes closer to her dark haired friend to try and calm him down. A sense of deja vu washes over her at the situation they were in. Shadows were beginning to pool around his feet.

“Easy Nico, Percy was just trying to help. Though I agree he could have phrased it a tad differently.” She steps closer making him take one step back hitting the wall.

“You can’t run forever Nico. At some point in your life you need to stop and face reality.” Percy says still sitting on the bed. Skylar wanted to roll her eyes. _Thanks for the help waterboy._

“Just leave me alone!” With that final outburst shadows swallow his figure signalling he was about to travel. In a last ditch effort to stop him, Skylar lunges toward him grabbing a hold of his fluffy collar. If he was going to disappear again it would be with her this time. She wouldn’t allow him to fall further into a pit of despair.


	12. Song of the Departed

Skylar could only describe shadow travel as nauseating. Her stomach swirled as they traveled her vision going black and slowly returning to normal once they landed at their destination. The duo fall to the stone ground with a groan. Darkness completely surrounded them, she wouldn’t of been able to locate Nico if she didn’t already have her hand on him. Wherever they were it wasn’t exactly inviting. A shiver ran down her spine at the cold air blowing through the room. Panic began to take over her mind and she eases her arm out of its sling to summon some light. She would've used the other hand but it was the only thing keeping her connected to Nico.

The small orb of light in her palm does very little to light the room. It’s just enough to illuminate the ground a foot away from their location. Steadying her breathing, Skylar moves her hand down to grip the sleeve of Nico’s jacket taking notice at how quiet he’s been. Maneuvering her hand she illuminates his face to find him half conscious. Great. There’s no way he’ll be able to get them out of wherever they are.

“Nico I swear if you brought us halfway around the world…” She mutters guiding him onto her back and struggling to her feet. Groans of discomfort come from the dark haired boy before burying his face in her shoulder. His arms drape lazily around her neck. Light snores reach her ears almost immediately after Nico gets comfortable. _The things I do for you di Angelo._ Skylar smiles softly fighting a blush.

Hooking one arm under his knees she begins to walk hoping that anything lurking in the darkness will just leave them alone.  As she walks, her mind wanders back to the words she heard some time ago. _Darkness shall consume your soul child of the sun god. A decision will change your life forever. When it does I will destroy all you hold dear beginning with this one._

“Darkness will consume my soul huh? Good luck with that whoever you are. Like I’ll let you lay a hand on my loved ones.” She mutters bitterly to herself. “Even if you imprison me in a dark room I’ll always have light inside me. I’m not scared.” Her boots lightly tap against the stone floor pressing onward.

Nico was lighter than other boys his age so that wasn't a problem. She did however make a mental note to have him eat more. It was the fact that Skylar couldn’t tell how long she’s been walking and her legs were burning. The only noise in what was assumed to be a tunnel, were her footsteps. _Hopefully I’ll get us out of here before the silence makes me crazy._ A very faint green glow grabbed her attention. On autopilot at this point Skylar walks faster toward the light. With any luck she could grasp where Nico brought them. Upon further investigation she finds it to be a torch, the flame burning atop a vibrant green. Extinguishing the light in her palm she turns to walk through the doorway beside it.

Oh how Skylar wished Nico was awake to help. Ocean eyes scan the area cautiously. A river filled with trinkets flowed to her left. Spirits of the dead floated around ignoring her presence. Arches of obsidian stone stood in the distance shrouded in mist. A small toll booth of some sort was off to the side, a cloaked figure inside. They were in the Underworld. Nico di freaking Angelo had brought her to the domain of Hades himself. Deciding not to waste time Skylar descends the hill being careful not to walk through any ghosts. However the closer she got to the arches the harder it was to avoid them.

Lines branched off into different directions one leading to somewhere pleasant. The other...well let’s just say Skylar could hear the screams from here. The gatekeeper in the toll booth surprisingly waved her through with a boney finger. Perhaps travelling with the son of the god of the dead himself had its perks. A free passage closer to your demise for instance. Warm air blew back her hair. Eyes wide she turns to face the cause.

Desperately trying to stay calm, Skylar eyes the beast up and down taking in its appearance. Just imagine the most terrifying black Rottweiler you can think of. Now multiply its head by three each with a pair of blood-red eyes. It’s body was partially transparent in the ever growing fog. That didn’t stop her from seeing the razor sharp teeth and nails. He was up on all fours monitoring the area with his three heads. The beast before her easily made Mrs. O’Leary look like a petite puppy. _Cerberus._

At the moment Cerberus didn’t seem to care about their arrival. He took his job as guard dog very seriously growling at anyone who steered off course. Perhaps she could just walk by him like she did with the gatekeeper? Slowly Skylar made her way closer to walk underneath his body. Until Nico decided to shift in his sleep freezing her in her tracks.

Simultaneously all three heads stick up straight in the air. Large wet noses sniff the air. Three pairs of crimson eyes train on the golden haired girl striking fear into her. “H-Hello there Cerberus. We’re just...passing through.” Skylar tells the giant creature praying it won’t eat them. The middle head leans down to her height sniffing the boy on her back. His eyes widen in realization falling back to sit on his bottom. A loud thumping echoed through the area as his tail hit against the concrete. “You recognize Nico huh? Thank the gods.” Her eyes fall on a pile of bones not too far from them. _I wonder if anyone plays with him? He’s intimidating but still just a giant dog._

Setting Nico on the ground she picks up the biggest bone she can manage. “How about we play fetch?” Cerberus’s ears perk up at this. “Alright, one...two...three!” With all her strength she tosses the bone into the distance watching as the Rottweiler bounds after it. Flower petals from the crown on her head fall before her eyes. Each one of them shriveled and void of color. _The longer you stay in the Underworld the closer to death you become. Right._ Skylar sighs tossing another bone for Cerberus to retrieve being as it crushed the previous one with it’s massive jaws. They needed to get out of here as soon as possible. Nico would be fine since his father was Hades but she on the other hand…

Pulling Nico once more onto her back she holds one last bone in her hand. “Do you think you can show me the path to Hades’ Palace? I wanna bring his son home.” Cerberus seemed to understand leading her halfway down a cobblestone path faintly she can make out a massive structure in the distance. The dog halts its steps and Skylar figures this is as far as he’s allowed to go. He does have a job after all. Patting his large paw in appreciation she tosses the stick up in the air. “I’ll come back and play sometime. Thanks boy!” With a pep in her step Skylar hums a small tune admiring the somewhat sinister palace as it comes closer. Hades must of modeled it off of Mount Olympus. However instead of gold and white marble, the god of the dead used glittering black obsidian and bronze.

Spinning the ring on her finger she summons her bow, Spitfire, as a precaution. It let off a faint glow in the dimly lit pathway. The edges of the expertly crafted bow were sharpened like knives. She didn’t have arrows but she wouldn’t hesitate to swing at a monster. Passing through the gates into the most beautiful garden Skylar has ever seen seemed a little too easy. “Persephone’s Garden...it’s gorgeous.” Whispering to herself she draws closer to a specific plant, it’s overwhelming tart smell filling her nose. A tree filled with pomegranates. As tempting as it was she knew there would be consequences for stealing from the garden. Around her various plants flourished even without sunlight. Multi-colored mushrooms, poisonous shrubs, and bio-luminescent plants.

Pulling away from the taunting aroma she continues on passing by clumps of raw gemstones such as diamonds and rubies. Statues of Satyrs, children and centaurs decorated various parts of the lawn. Her feet stop short of the steps leading into the palace. “Nico, come on I need my Ghost King to wake up. I really don’t want to talk to Hades alone.” Her pleading seemed to work as his eyes flutter open.

“Hmm...Sky? Why’d you wake me up?” Nico yawns rubbing at his eyes. He looked like a cute kitten. Skylar watches him from over her shoulder with a relieved smile.

“Well sleepy head, while you were busy napping I carried you across the Underworld to your dad’s doorstep.” She sets him on his feet. “Cerberus let me pass fairly easily. Your dad should really play with him more. The poor pup.”

“W-wha? Skylar you need to get out of here!” His eyes widen in horror after realizing where they are. “I’m sure my dad knows you’re here by now but if he catches you he won’t let you leave.” He shakes her shoulders urgently.

“Whoa whoa okay take it easy. It’ll be alright don’t stress.” Her hand ruffles his perfectly messy black hair. “He might listen to reason if Persephone is present.” This earned her a skeptical look.

“You want to try reasoning with Hades? You’ve had crazy ideas before but this will surely get you killed. If something goes wrong I won’t be able to help you. He doesn’t exactly listen to me…” Nico frowns looking down at his sneakers.

“Think positive Neeks. Even if things seem bleak you gotta think positive.” Skylar tugs on his sleeve ascending the marble steps of the residence. Nico protests all through the castle until they are directly outside the throne room. Skylar returns the ring to her finger. Better not greet them with a weapon drawn. Knocking nervously he gains permission to enter. For both of their comfort Skylar latches onto his ice cold hand. Swallowing their fear they push open the bronze doors ignoring the images of death engraved on them.

Reading about Greek gods in books was totally different from seeing them in the flesh. Nico’s father was very tall and imposing with albino white skin. Intense black eyes glittered in the firelight from underneath long black bangs. Silky dark hair fell over his shoulders onto his equally dark robes. The elegant silk housed faces of screaming souls. His step-mother on the other hand was breathtakingly beautiful. Her long blonde hair curled elegantly around her body. Vibrant sky blue eyes matched perfectly with her flowing dress decorated in blooming red, blue and yellow flowers. They each sat atop a personalized throne. Hades on one carved out of bones, Persephone of flowers. Hades and his wife were that of night and day. It reminded Skylar of her own friendship with Nico.

Kneeling respectfully the two children wait for the lord of the underworld to speak. “You may rise.” Skylar feels Nico lace his fingers with hers as they stand. She hadn’t noticed her own began to tremble slightly. “A child of Apollo? What business do you have entering my domain? I should throw you in the dungeon for trespassing.”

“All do respect sir I did not mean to impose. My name is Skylar Solace. I’ve come to speak to you and to help your son.” Skylar explains briefly.

“How can one lonely girl like you expect to help him? Who’s to say you aren’t here to trick me into resurrecting the fallen Apollo boy?” Hades’ voice booms through the throne room. “Nico go to your chambers while I talk to this girl.” Nico begins to leave only to be held back by Skylar. Like heck he was leaving her alone now. Skylar fights the urge to curl up on the floor and surrender at the dark gaze Hades gives her.

“Nico has taught me something important sir. The deceased should stay in the Underworld where they belong. It wouldn’t be right to go against the laws the gods have set. The laws of morality you have set.” She squeezes Nico’s hand before continuing. “I know very little of how you’ve struggled but you are casting aside your own son just because he isn’t perfect like you’ve made Bianca out to be. It isn’t right that she died however Nico is still breathing and doing everything he can to have you listen him! That’s why I refuse to leave him so he knows someone will always be by his side when his own family doesn’t accept him.”

“Insolent child how dare you insult me in my own home!”

“Father, please let her go. She was only mixed up in this because I ran away.” Nico speaks up on her behalf.

“Silence boy. Ever since that Percy Jackson came here for his mother and escaped everyone feels they can do the same. Well no more take her to the dungeons! Nico you are to go to your room and not leave under any circumstance.” Hades demands waving his hand and forcing the kids apart by creating a fissure in the earth. A fury dives at Skylar pinning her arms behind her back.

 _Alright, so far going as expected. It’s a good thing I brushed up on some reading._ “Before you decide to punish us give me one chance to change your mind. Better yet allow me to stake my own life.” Skylar pleads wincing as the kindly one’s claw digs into her back.  

“Oh my this is new. It seems she values the life of the boy over her own. Perhaps you could reconsider? She’s only spoken the truth to you and has no ulterior motive.” Persephone cuts in admiring a vibrant orange lily in her hand. The god of the Underworld took this into consideration rubbing his chin.

“Release her.” Dark eyes bore into the blonde. The fury holding Skylar releases her flying to sit atop Hades’ throne. “What do you have in mind?”

“A song, allow me to play you one song. If I manage to impress both you and Persephone, you swear on the River Styx to let us both go. Fail and I’ll stay here for eternity and never speak to your son again.”

“Skylar don’t do this.” Nico’s brown eyes held concern for her wellbeing and traces of fear.

“Nico please do not worry.” She sends him a partial smile turning her gaze back to Hades. “Do we have a deal?”

“Anyone who invades my domain and insults me is in no place to make demands. However I will humor you. I Hades swear on the River Styx to allow Skylar Solace and Nico di Angelo to leave if she manages to impress my wife and I.” Hades swears sealing the deal. He was convinced the young girl was not up to the task, she didn’t even have an instrument after all. Or so he thought.

The daughter of Apollo was certainly at a disadvantage. Her lyre was back at camp and she has never been able to whistle a full song. _Alright dad, now’s a good time for you to help a girl out._ Biting her lip she taps her foot in anticipation trying to come up with a quick plan. The longer she stayed in the Underworld the more sluggish she began to feel. Even her once vibrant hair was beginning to dull. A faint glow emits from her jacket pocket. Stuffing her hand inside she produces a small glass wind instrument. _An Ocarina? Now this I can work with._

Inserting the mouthpiece between her lips Skylar allows the melody to take over. Her fingers alternate over the many different holes on the instrument’s surface changing the pitch and tone to accommodate the story she was trying to tell. Visualizing what she wanted to portray was simple. A tale of love, tragedy, deceit and retribution. More widely known as how Hades made Persephone to become his queen. Blue eyes shut in concentration not noticing the look of nostalgia on the gods’ faces. It begins with a peaceful tone soft yet full of emotion displaying Hades’ love for the goddess of spring. The tone drastically changes into a more sinister feeling  leading to the kidnapping of Persephone and deceiving her into eating pomegranate seeds forcing her to stay in the Underworld. This part lasts a bit longer as Skylar shifts to the final verse. Taking a deep breath a melancholy theme washes over the room. Desperation in trying to convince the one you care so deeply for to love you back. Drawing out the last note Skylar removes the Ocarina from her lips and opens her eyes.

Silence immediately greets her as she catches her breath. The small glass instrument turns to dust in her hands having served it’s purpose. A sinking feeling filled her stomach at the deafening quiet that lingered. Chocolate brown eyes trained on her internally conflicted. Maybe if he moved fast enough he could grab Skylar and escape. She didn’t swear on the River Styx after all only his father did. _I couldn’t do it. I’m so sorry Nico._ Skylar mentally apologizes shifting her gaze to the floor. They’d never be able to leave now. What good was she as a daughter of the god of music if she couldn’t play one measly song to please a god?

Quiet sniffles turn into full blown sobbing snapping her attention to Persephone. The woman dabs at her eyes with a handkerchief supplied by a skeleton servant. “That was beautiful! Such emotion and heart. Bravo!” She praises blowing her nose and looking toward her husband. His obsidian eyes gleamed with tears, a few trickling down his deathly pale cheeks.

“Skylar Solace I have not heard music that meaningful since Orpheus himself came to resurrect his love. You are hereby free. Do try to refrain from stumbling into the Underworld. I am a very busy man.” Using one of his many keys, Hades opens a doorway leading directly into the heart of New York City. Skylar thanks them both walking over to an awestruck Nico. Grabbing his sleeve she leads him over to the portal. Quieting her crying Persephone bids the two farewell. Together the son of Hades and daughter of Apollo walk through the door and back to the world of the living.

Persephone looked over at the portal as it closes behind the two kids. “That Solace sure is a peculiar child. I wonder why one so full of light insists on mingling with the darkness.”

“Even we gods cannot know everything. However I do get the feeling this will not be the last time we see young Skylar. If that lazy father of hers is good for anything it’s those prophecies of his.” Hades speaks with furrowed brows. “After seeing her conviction for myself, she just may have what it takes. If her fatal flaw doesn’t do her in first.”


	13. Opposites Attract

Tall skyscrapers and streets bustling with people greet the demigods. They walk to a less congested area before Skylar begins to speak. “I told you it would turn out alright in the end.” Nico turns to face her, his face full of anger.

“Are you insane? We could of snuck out but you just had to stick to your morals and risk both of us!” He fumes storming up to the blonde. She narrowed her eyes at his outburst. Why was he getting so angry? The two of them managed to get out unscathed end of story. So why is it that Nico looked so agitated? Well no matter, Skylar wasn’t going to just allow him to yell at her.

“I had to do something! Your dad needed to see that what he was doing to you was wrong. You obviously weren’t going to stand up to him so I did it for you.” Skylar huffs crossing her arms across her chest.

“I never asked you to! Not one day goes by when you’re not meddling in my business. I’d of left camp already if it wasn’t for you.” Nico seethes glaring into her blue eyes. That’s one stab to the heart.

“Then why didn’t you just leave? If hanging out with me is so torturous for you why do you even bother Nico?!” All this time she never took into consideration her helping was doing more harm than good.

“I’ll show you why!” In a flash Nico’s hands grab the front of Skylar’s jacket pulling her closer to his face. Before she can fully register what’s happening chapped but warm lips crash onto her own with a sense of urgency. Blue eyes widen in surprise before fluttering closed relaxing into the contact. Nico di Angelo was kissing her, his fingers reaching up to cup her cheeks. Her best friend, Mr. Gloom and doom himself. Her hands enclose around Nico’s feeling the slight tremble they emitted. _He’s scared I’ll reject him._ Slowly she begins to kiss back as a crimson blush coated her freckled face. After about a minute the two break apart to catch their breath. Skylar rests her forehead against Nico’s with a fond smile directed at the equally blushing boy.

“T-that’s why I couldn’t leave.” Nico mumbles shyly averting his eyes. Skylar internally awes at the sight her heart beating a mile a minute.

“Neeks no fair, you beat me to it.” A giggles escapes her lips nuzzling her face into his perfectly messy locks breathing in the light scent of clean linen he acquired from hanging out in the Apollo cabin. “Back in the Underworld why do you think Hades agreed to my terms?”

Nico scrunches up his nose as he wracks his brain for a solution. The only way his father would agree is if the opponent offered up a suitable punishment for losing. Skylar’s punishment was becoming a prisoner for all eternity and to also...oh.

“You were willing to...give up ever seeing me again. Hades deemed it a suitable punishment so it was bound to be horrible.” He mumbles piecing it all together. “Oh. _Ohh.”_

“Mhmm, I bet the most important thing in the world to me. The love I harbored for the Ghost King.” Her heart was pounding so loud she was certain he’d be able to hear it as well.

“You’re an idiot Solace.” Nico sighs in exasperation a prominent blush on his pale cheeks. He should've known a conventional confession never would of came from his eccentric friend. “I-I care about y-you too.” The words are quiet but all it takes for the girl to squeeze him into a hug much to his protesting. People were beginning to stare at the peculiar pair and the fact that Nico had a sword at his side didn’t help any.  

“Sometimes yes, but I’m your idiot.”

After their confessions Skylar took to teasing Nico by singing cheesy love songs as they walk down the streets of New York. He tried his hardest to ignore her childish antics but found himself cracking a smile at their joined hands. If it was anyone else he would despise the human contact but with Skylar it was different. Nico couldn’t properly explain it, his emotions were still haywire from the kiss they shared. Something about the song she played back in the Underworld struck a chord in him and before he could stop himself he was pulling Skylar toward him leading to them both confessing their feelings.

The pair were in no hurry to return to camp choosing to walk through a park instead. They wouldn’t be able to stay for very long due to an inevitable monster attack but the change of scenery was refreshing. Birds chirped in the trees, families held picnics atop checkered blankets and cyclists raced down the bike path. Deciding to take a small break from walking they settle on a wooden bench.

Nico shifted his gaze from his lap over to the girl sitting beside him. Skylar’s fingers ran through her hair eyeing one specific section. The golden color had faded to a dark brown. An unusual side effect from traveling in the Underworld. Neither of them knew the true cause, maybe it was due to Skylar being different from other Apollo children. True to her word she stuck by his side. Risking her life in the Underworld was the icing on the cake. Just the thought of her being held prisoner by his father left a rotten taste in his mouth. Nico found Skylar to be foolishly brave. Something about the whole ordeal wasn’t adding up for him. How did the Ocarina she used wind up in her pocket. As far as he knew she didn’t have it back at camp.

“How did you know Apollo would send you help?” Nico finally questions.

“Hm? Oh I didn’t.” He almost couldn’t believe the blunt response she gave him.

“You mean you staked your life on performing without a solid plan?! Did it occur to you what would've happened if you were left without an instrument?”

“Not at all. Call it an intuition but I somehow knew my dad would help us. So with that in mind I was free to put my plan into motion.” A soft kiss is placed on his cheek causing a faint blush.

“We never actually...discussed what we are.” Nico practically whispers and Skylar thanks the gods she has good hearing.

“Ahh true. Well how would you describe it?”

“Unusual? The two of us are night and day but somehow we make it work.” Skylar nods urging him to go on. “It’s like my brain and heart are at war with each other. Every person I’ve ever cared about has either left or has died because of me. I don’t want the same to end up happening to you. No matter how hard I try to push you away you always come back with that same smile. I can’t understand it fully but I know it’s more than just friendship. I’ve never had a girlfriend before so...” He frowns to himself twirling the ring on his finger.

The female nods in understanding. “Then allow I, Skylar Solace to be the first.” Laughing quietly her aquamarine eyes glint in the sunlight. Skylar stands from the bench and stretches. They needed to start heading toward camp or they’d be sleeping on the street tonight. Nico got up from the bench to reluctantly walk beside her.

“Hey Neeks?”

“Why do you insist on calling me that?” He groans as his eyes inspect every person they come across. They haven’t been attacked yet but he was being cautious all the same. If need be he could shadow travel to a safer location.

“It’s cute, like you.” Her reply makes him scowl.

“I am darkness, the ruthless ruler of ghosts. I’m not cute.” He buries his face into the collar of his aviator jacket.

“Yes how could I forget your majesty.” Skylar curtsies with her imaginary skirt stifling a laugh. “Seriously though I have a question.”

“Yeah?”

“What are you planning on doing after summer is over? I know I kind of forced you to stay but a lot of campers are leaving to go back home for school. Will you stay at camp or..?” Her voice trails off watching a group of toddlers on the playground.

“I want to find out what really happened to my mom and where I was before ending up at that hotel.” Nico says briefly glancing to her. He had so many unanswered questions and hoped to find some clues leading him to the truth. “What about you?” He inquires.

“Then by all means do what you feel will lead you to the answers you seek. Will and I were thinking of going home for at least a semester of school. Our mom is taking a break from work so we can come home and further our education in an actual classroom and not homeschooling.” An idea pops into her head as they pass by a cafe. Skylar hurries inside leaving Nico confused on the sidewalk. She returns shortly a white paper napkin clutched in her right hand. It’s handed over to him, an address located in Texas written in large print.

“I’m sure you’ll want to get started right away so I can return to camp by myself. That’s my address if you ever need a place to crash or a good meal. Will would welcome you with open arms and I’m sure my mom wouldn’t mind.” Nico nods folding the napkin and stuffing it inside an inner pocket of his jacket.

“Thank you for understanding.” His dark brown eyes land on the harbor in the distance. “How about we part ways at the marina?” It would at least allow him to spend a bit more time with her. Not that Nico would admit it but he was going to miss her, cheesy love songs and all.

They walk all the way to the docks as night falls. Skylar calls Ortus using a shrill whistle Will taught her specifically for the pegasus. Hugging Nico tightly she whispers her goodbyes. His arms wrap around her waist burying his face in her shoulder. Nico promises to drop by when he can but Skylar knows it’s just an attempt to make her feel better about the long distance. He’d be busy doing his own thing while she focused on schoolwork. It’s a bittersweet goodbye which they seal with a gentle kiss.

Nico slinks into the shadow of a building watching as the girl he cared for mount her pegasus and take off into the night. Even in the dark he could see the tears trickling down her sun kissed cheeks. Biting at his lip, he vanishes into the darkness to begin a journey of discovery. They’d part ways for now in hopes of seeing each other again when the time is right.

  
Landing Ortus on Fireworks Beach Skylar manages to frighten a few campers lighting sparklers near the shoreline. Spouting a few apologies she leads Ortus to the stables brushing his mane and tail out before heading to the Apollo cabin. Her feet dragged across the wooden floor collapsing on her bed across an already snoring Kayla. Instead of falling asleep right away like she’d hoped, her eyes fell on a figure leaning against the doorframe.

“I see you made it before curfew. Congrats.” Will walks over sitting on the edge of her mattress. “I haven’t seen a trace of you since patching up Isaac. Percy said you and Nico just sort of vanished.” Skylar hugs a pillow to her chest turning on her side to look at Will, her blue eyes glossy.

“I-I’m fine just...can we talk about this tomorrow?”

“Sure, see you tomorrow then. Good night Sky.” Will pulls the covers over her and makes his exit. Skylar says a quiet good night falling asleep almost instantly. The blond boy sighs stepping out of the room to sleep in his own bed on the other side of the cabin. Whatever happened to them the twins would discuss tomorrow during their early morning rooftop talks.

Will, much to his own surprise, wakes up before his twin. He showers and dresses for the day heading up to the roof of their cabin. About ten minutes later Skylar hoists herself onto the roof tossing a coffee cup that enchanted with the same magic as the camp’s goblets. The rest of the cabin was silent as their remaining siblings still slept soundly. Sipping quietly from their mugs Skylar finally breaks the quiet.

“Will, you and I tell each other everything right? That’s how it's always been.”

“Except for when you conveniently didn’t tell me about your last quest.” Will reprimands.

“Fair enough. Anyway, Nico and I are sort of...dating.” Will chokes on his coffee sputtering out incoherent words as he coughs. Skylar pulls her knees to her chest tentatively sipping at her coffee. Not exactly the reaction she was expecting.

“W-When did that happen?” he questions, subduing his coughing fit.

“Yesterday. He didn’t come back to camp though, chose to go off on his own for a while. You and I will be back at home anyway.” She replies.

“You’re okay with that?”

“It’s his life, I can’t drag him around or expect him to stay in one place.” Skylar shrugs nonchalantly. “Not gonna lie, I miss him already.” A hint of sadness laced her tone. Will rests a hand on her head messing up her hair. His blue eyes drift to the brunette streak in it. That was definitely new to him.

“Uh sis? Your hair is turning...brown.” His fingers hold up the strands. She forgot about that, her initial plan was braid her hair to hide the discolored section. However in the midst of getting ready her mind wandered off and she left it alone. Deciding to play along she fakes a shocked expression.

“It is? Maybe I’m like Rapunzel from Tangled. She cut her hair and it turned brown.” Skylar feels her brother press the back of his hand to her forehead. She obviously wasn’t sick. Her complexion was normal, not running a fever, nor was her body language odd.

“How Bizarre.” Her fingers reach over and pinch his cheek. “Ow!”

Smiling triumphantly Skylar slowly gets to her feet, all the liquid in her mug drained. “I found out yesterday that the Underworld described in books is nothing compared to the actual thing.” Shooting her brother a sly grin she scrambles down the roof.

“What did you ju- Skylar get back here right now!” Will scolds climbing down to chase after her. Snickers sound from the blonde girl as she runs away from her twin. It would be inevitable that she’d be captured so might as well have fun with it. They ran across the grass past the cabins and mess hall before she’s tackled into the sand by her brother. After wrestling for a bit and drawing the attention of a few onlookers Will pins her by her arms.

“How dare you drop a bomb like that and run away.” He leans closer to her so nobody can eavesdrop. “Did you seriously go there?” A nod. “So that’s why your hair is…” Another nod. Will sighs releasing his sister and standing. He knew his sister did some out of the box things before but this just takes the cake. Skylar gets up and brushes off the sand before going into a full explanation.

In detail she described first landing in the darkest cavern she’d ever seen. With Nico falling unconscious she was forced to carry him. Will rolls his eyes knowing the effect shadow traveling had on the son of Hades. Meeting Cerberus in person was a lot more terrifying than reading about him. That is until you just realize he’s just a massive dog. Then all you want to do is pet him. It’s when Skylar mentions her talk with Hades that she notices the drastic change in Will. His fingers massage his temples at all the new information. His twin sure has been busy lately.

“Skylar one of these days you need to just take a day off and relax. Please, behave when we go home to Texas.” Will sighs but smiles all the same. She knew how rare it was for them to be able to attend school and see their mom so she refused to ruin it.

“No problem bro. It would be nice to act like a normal kid for once.” Her stomach growls shortly after that sentence. An embarrassed blush coats her cheeks causing Will to smirk.

“Let’s go eat before your stomach scares away all the fish.” Slinging an arm around Skylar’s shoulder, Will tugs her along in the direction of the mess hall.

After breakfast the twins decided to get a head start on packing. With the front cabin door propped open they would hear Mr. D screaming for campers to start making their decision by sundown. They’d take a van to the airport tomorrow and get on a flight for Houston. The plan was to meet their mom at the airport and ride to the house with her. As of right now Will was sifting through his things only packing the essentials. There was no need to pack very many clothes since a lot of their wardrobe was back home. He hums to himself pulling out a carrying case made specifically to fit his bow and quiver of arrows. With luck he wouldn’t have it confiscated and could pass it off as being part of a competition.

Skylar on the other hand managed to load her suitcase quickly. A deck of Mythomagic cards, two photo albums, her lyre, a velvet bag full of drachmas she won from the Stoll brothers and a small black book. What was inside the book was a mystery to her but it would provide her reading material on the plane ride. Now all that’s left is to enjoy the remaining time she had left at Camp Half-blood.


	14. Countdown

Percy called out to Skylar as she sparred with Annabeth. She turns to him earning a kick to her back as the daughter of Athena holds a dagger to her throat. A triumphant smirk plastered on her face. Skylar sighs and admits defeat after making such a foolish mistake.

“I told you to never turn your back on an enemy. Other than that, good work you’ve been improving.” Annabeth tells her removing the dagger so she can get up. Percy walks over to them letting out a whistle.

“Remind me never to get on your bad side. I hate to interrupt but Chiron sent me to get you. It’s something to do with Isaac.” Skylar nods in understanding hugging the two goodbye. They’d be leaving in about an hour to go home. She promises to spend more time with them next summer and sets off in the direction of the bighouse.

She allowed her mind to wander during the walk. Come to think of it Isaac wasn’t at breakfast and Skylar had yet to see him wandering around. Will even stopped by the Aphrodite cabin but he wasn’t there. Lacy was however and she informed him Isaac was cleaning dishes, the last of his punishment from fighting with Dustin.

The floorboards creak underneath her feet as she walks across the front porch. Relaxing in his wheelchair near the house’s screen door is the centaur she was summoned by. On a side table beside him sat a pitcher of lemonade and two glasses. Chiron offers her one which she gladly accepts, taking a seat in the lawn chair across from him.

“Have you gotten yourself all ready to return home?” The centaur strikes up a simple conversation.

“Yes sir, Will and I are both set.” Skylar sips from her glass before continuing. “That’s not why you called me here though is it? Percy said you wanted to speak about Isaac?”

“Ah yes that is correct. To be more specific I had a favor to ask of you. Would you be willing to bring him with you? I fear he isn’t adjusting well to life here at Camp Half-blood and may need a break. Normally he could just go back to his home in Pennsylvania however his father informed me he’s out of town and doesn’t want Isaac to be alone.” Chiron informs the golden-haired girl stirring his lemonade with a straw.

“So you figured the best solution would be to send him with the people he’s comfortable with. I’d gladly bring him along but Will and I already have our plane tickets. My mom probably won’t foot the bill for another one.” Skylar frowns trying to come up with a solution. She could relinquish her ticket to Isaac and fly home on Ortus but the distance posed a problem. They’ve never flown that far before and she was running low on mortal money. Her suitcase would also have to stay behind so that plan was terminated.

“Do not worry, I have one already for him. All I ask is that you pass the offer along to Isaac himself.” Chiron picks up a square shipping envelope handing it over to her. “If he chooses to stay behind I will do my best to look out for him.” The older man smiles pleasantly.  

Nodding she clutches the envelope to her chest. “Thank you sir. I do hope you’re back on your feet when I come back to camp.” Skylar waves jumping down the steps and setting off to find Isaac. After telling Will the plan the two parted ways to search for their friend. They asked around everywhere they could even checking under picnic tables for a trace of the brunet. Not even Isaac’s own siblings had seen him since his chores this morning.

“The only place left is the forest but there’s no way we’ll be able to search it all.” Will sighs adjusting the quiver of arrows on his back.

“We don’t have a choice. I just...have a bad feeling something happened to him Will.” They agree to meet up at the edge of the forest and take off in different directions.  

A lone figure stood on the edge of a cliff overlooking the water. His wavy brown hair blew in the gentle breeze as vibrant green eyes stared off into the distance. The faint call of his name gradually grew louder as the one seeking him burst through the trees. Without turning to greet them he could already distinguish who it was. Skylar Solace. Her tone changed to one of alarm at how close to the edge he stood. The brunet himself was unaware, too focused on the view. On the horizon the sun was just beginning to set bathing the sky in a sea of colors.

“Isn’t the sky beautiful? It’s like someone painted the sky with watercolors.” Isaac sighs happily a serene smile on his face. How was he not freaking out right now? One wrong step and he’d plummet over one hundred feet into the water below. Hitting the water from this height would be equivalent to smashing into concrete. Broken bones would be the least of his problems. If the fall didn’t kill him, Skylar would for being so careless..

“Isaac? What are you doing out here bud?” Skylar calls out to him softly, her blue eyes watching his feet closely. They’d been looking for the son of Aphrodite for most of the day but they weren’t expecting to find him like this.

“I remember you telling me this was the best place to watch the sunset. Dustin agreed and told me to stand as close to the ledge as possible. He was right, it really is the best view.” He tells them. Something about his voice was off, and since when did he listen to Dustin? Those two were at each other’s throats just the other day.

“I’ll watch it with you, just from a safe distance. How about you step back a few feet?” She tries coaxing the boy into stepping away from the ledge. His body doesn’t budge an inch. Skylar furrowed her brows racking her brain for any potential reasons as to why Isaac would be doing this so calmly. The brunet was always observant he would of noticed how dangerous it was right away and wouldn’t of taken the risk. _Unless...no, it can’t be._

“I can’t.” Slowly Isaac looks down at his feet the rocks beginning to crumble underneath. “Oh...the ground is cracking.” His words came out dazed.

Skylar was beginning to internally panic. She attempts to take a step forward only to freeze as Isaac’s foot inches closer to sliding off. The leaves rustle to the left of their location revealing a boy with perfectly styled platinum blond hair. Makeup caked his face to hid the bruises he received from Isaac.

“I wouldn’t move if I were you. It would be a shame if I accidentally told him to jump.” A sinister smile appeared on his face.

“Dustin! Why are you doing this to him?!” She all but growls at the older boy.

“I’m just giving him the extra push he needs to actually go through with it. ” Dustin sneers. “My mother accepted that...thing as one of her own children and abandoned me here in this wretched place. The king of titans is right. We’ll put an end to the reign of the gods once and for all.” He turns his back on them, Skylar’s hands glowed with power. If she could get a clear shot then maybe Isaac could be free of whatever spell put on him.

“Now now Skylar. You try to come after me or move any closer to Isaac he’ll be greeting that boyfriend of yours in the Underworld. It’s quite funny how the one who saved his pathetic little life abandoned him to moment someone better came along.” The light diminishes from her hands instantly watching helplessly as Dustin makes his escape. _How did he know about Nico and I?_ Shaking her head she focuses back on Isaac. _I can worry about that later._

“Isaac? I need you to fight against him. Don’t let his voice overpower you.”

“Do you think I really belong here? I’m not like the rest of the kids in my cabin. They all look like models but I’m just...me.” Isaac mutters sadly staring down at his hands.

“There’s nothing wrong with being yourself Isaac. For what it’s worth, I think you’re perfect the way you are, quirkiness and all.” Her words seem to have a small effect at the slight twitch of his fingers.

“Then why hasn’t my mom talked to me? She must be too ashamed to even acknowledge me. Even you replaced me with Nico.” A rustling from the bushes signals Will’s arrival. In his hands was a makeshift lasso made from vines in the forest. If they weren’t in such a life threatening situation Skylar would of laughed. His timing was impeccable.  

“Gods and goddesses are weird like that sometimes. I’m sure Aphrodite is just waiting for the right moment. I-I can’t reverse time but I’m sorry I wasn’t there to help you adjust but I am now. How about you come to Texas with Will and I? We can bake cookies, ride horses, and you can meet our mom. She’ll be impressed with how badass you were at defending your friends.” Skylar nods at Will to ready the rope. They’d only get one shot at this.

“C-can I really?” His voice comes out small.

“Of course, Chiron got you a plane ticket already. We just need to go back to your cabin and pack.” Will cuts in gently.

“I-it hurts. I-I don’t want to hurt anymore.” Tears poured from his hunter green eyes slowly turning his head to face her. Isaac grabs at his head trying to fight the voice invading his thoughts. The commanding voice willed him to jump and end it all. Everyone would get along fine without him. Skylar could easily replace him. His own mom never even cared enough to show her face to him. He was always the weird nerdy kid no one wanted to hang out with after school. People always judged him by his appearance instead of actually trying to get to know the boy behind the oversized sweaters and graphic t-shirts. Faintly he hears Skylar scream his name as his feet leave the safety of the ground. _I didn’t want to do it. I’m sorry._ Shutting his eyes, Isaac’s body free falls toward the awaiting water below.

Will’s sneakers slide across the stone and he digs in his heels to stop his sister’s descent as she dove over the ledge. The lasso he made tightened around her waist suspending her in the air over the side of the cliff. Sobbing and the screaming of Isaac’s name is heard and Will assumes the worst. Gritting his teeth he begins to pull on the vines slowly bringing Skylar closer to safety. After a few minutes his sister’s blonde hair peaks over the rocks her hand reaching out to him for help. Grabbing onto it he hoists her back onto stable ground. A sense of relief washes over him as his blue eyes land on the boy clutched around the waist by Skylar. One arm and both of her legs were wrapped around his slim body. Will’s legs give out underneath him sitting on the ground beside the other two. They made it.

Isaac sobbed into Skylar’s shirt apologizing over and over to her. The blonde girl quietly shushes him running a hand through his wavy hair. She apologizes to him as well for not realizing how he was feeling sooner. Will rubs his back humming a soft tune to ease his crying. Tears prick the corners of Skylar’s eyes as her gaze meets her brother’s. They have a silent conversation vowing to make Dustin’s life a living hell. For now they would console their friend and give him the love and appreciation he deserved.

Will watched over the now sleeping form of Isaac as Skylar went to the Aphrodite cabin with a spare duffle bag. After crying himself to sleep Will carried him to the Apollo cabin for the night. In the morning they’d discuss what to do about Dustin with Chiron before heading to the airport. Ocean eyes sadden at the thought of how Isaac’s thoughts plagued his mind enough for Dustin to Charmspeak him into ending his own life. His fingers tighten on the book in his lap.

Back on the cliff he watched from the trees as Skylar tried to confront Dustin. Previously he heard the commotion and ducked behind a tree waiting for the right moment. When Will heard they couldn’t get close to Isaac he set to work on making a lasso while listening to his sister trying to break the hypnosis their friend was under. His heart practically plummeted seeing both Skylar and Isaac go over the edge and out of his line of sight. It would of been bad enough losing Isaac but Skylar as well? He’d fall into a pit of depression having seen it with his own eyes.

“You two are going to give me a heart attack one day.” Will whispers pulling the blanket over Isaac as he turns in his sleep.

A quiet knocking signals the return of his sister. She drops the bag beside the bed and bites her lip at the tearstained face of the brunet. “I don’t know what to do anymore Will. All I ever wanted to do was help people but lately all I seem to be doing is making things so much worse.” Plopping down on the edge of the bed she cradles her head in her hands.

“There’s no way you could of known. He’s been sheltering these feelings for a long time.” He interjects patting her knee.

“I promised I would keep him safe and look where that got him. Dangling precariously off the side of a hundred and fifty foot cliff. Gods if it wasn’t for you I don’t think I could've…” Skylar trails off.

“Sky, what happened is in the past. We’re not going to let Dustin get away with this and Isaac is still alive. You can rely on me more than you have been. Put some trust in your little brother.” Will manages to receive a barely visible smile from her. He ushers her into her room to sleep claiming Isaac wouldn’t be awake until morning. She complies hugging him goodnight and curling up on her mattress. The son of Apollo wanders across the cabin to his own bed curling up and listening to the deafening silence. Michael, Austin and Kayla all left this morning leaving only the twins. Silent tears spill from his eyes now that he was finally alone. One could only stay strong for others for so long until the facade shatters to pieces leaving behind a fragile body.

Early starts were a staple for the Solace twins. Isaac however felt like someone ran him over with a truck. He was annoyed about waking up so early but got over it after Will gave him his usual dazzling smile. It was the one you couldn’t help but return and made you feel that everything was right in the world. Argus helped the trio load their bags into the van and got into the driver’s seat. The ride itself was awkward to say the least. Skylar stared out the window absentmindedly spinning the ring on her finger. Isaac drummed his fingers against his leg to the music on the radio. Will rested his head against the door trying to get a few more minutes of sleep. Argus was silent as always traversing through the streets to the nearest airport.

With her ADHD kicking in Skylar bumps the back of Isaac’s seat with her foot. Isaac turns around in his seat to face her, an eyebrow raised. “Have you ever been on a plane before?” It was her attempt at making small talk not sure if she should bring up yesterday’s events. Her logic was Isaac would bring it up when he was ready.

“Once or twice but my dad was always with me. I’m sure you and Will do it all the time right? To visit your mom and all.” He asks nodding toward a now snoring Will. Skylar snorts at the sight drool pooling from her brother’s mouth. Covering her mouth in embarrassment Isaac lets out a light chuckle. _Okay, that’s a good start._

“We actually aren’t able to go home too often. Our mom’s always been a busy person so we just tend to stick with one another at camp. It’s just...how it is I guess.” She shrugs indifferently. Isaac nods hesitating with his next words. Skylar tilts his head at him urging him to continue. Whatever he had to say she would give him her undivided attention.

“Dustin...he wasn’t wrong when he said I just needed a push.” Argus runs over a bump and Will hits his head on the window with a displeased groan but doesn’t open his eyes. “I-I always wondered why my mom never cared enough to be in my life. My dad spoke so highly of her in his stories claiming it wasn’t her fault she left us. As the years passed I could never bring myself to hate her even if I wanted to. I used to get into fights at school over her my dad had enough. He packed our things in his beat up corvette and we settled down in Pennsylvania.” His eyes shift over to Will who was shifting in his sleep.

“It’s funny, growing up I always dreamed of having a brother or sister so when I got to camp I was excited but also nervous. Mitchell and Lacy are great. Silena’s a great head counselor but none of them really feel like siblings only acquaintances. Then Nico showed up and I slowly began to fall into the confines of my mind. Dustin was angry at me for messing up his face he confronted me after we cleaned dishes in the kitchen. My mind went hazy from there leading up to the two of us dangling by a vine.” Isaac sums up pushing his bangs away from his eyes.

“From now on you come to us if something is bothering you, do you understand?” Will demands causing the other two to jump in surprise. He was quietly listening to Isaac’s story with his eyes closed pretending to be asleep. Isaac punches his arm playfully claiming he could've just said he was awake instead of pretending like a creeper. His green eyes held a small spark as he promised to confide in them. Skylar giggles at the two boys as they bicker amongst themselves. Part of her wondered if Will ignited the light within Isaac giving him the hope he needed to move forward. If so then maybe, just maybe Skylar didn’t have to worry.


	15. Home on the Range

Three young teens bolted up the escalator after passing through airport security. Their flight was boarding for Houston in ten minutes and their gate was on the other end of the massive airport. Will’s archery equipment held them back as security was hesitant to allow it through. Isaac managed to convince them eventually using his charm and they were on their way.

“I told you to leave the bow behind but nooo you just had to bring it!” Skylar calls to Will jumping over a suitcase in her way.

“Easy for you to say! Yours is always compact in a ring!” Will shoots back at his sister. He narrowly misses crashing into an elderly woman who hits him with her handbag. Apologizing profusely he escaped the old woman’s wrath to catch up with Isaac and Skylar.

“I wasn’t prepared to sprint all the way there!” Isaac wheezes slowing down and clutching at his side. His endurance levels were a third of the Solace Twins’. Skylar doubles back to him grabbing one of his arms while Will grabs the other. They practically drag the green-eyed boy the rest of the way to their departure gate. Isaac collapses onto a chair nearby his chest heaving from all the running. Will, who was panting significantly less, hands him a bottle of water from his carry on bag. Skylar double checks the ticket in her hand to confirm they're at the right location. _Made it with three minutes to spare._

Better to be safe than sorry, she keeps an eye on the people surrounding them. This section of the airport was surprisingly busy being as they were departing close to five in the morning. That being said she only hoped there wouldn’t be an issue while in the air. Skylar strikes up a conversation with the attendant sitting behind the counter to get answers. After finding out all she needed she wanders back to the boys as they call for boarding.

“Good news is it’s a nonstop flight. Bad news is one of our seats are a few rows behind the other two. I’ll take that one so you boys can sit and gossip together.” Skylar teases passing out the tickets as they get in line.

“Aw you don’t wanna sit next to me? I’m hurt Sky.” Will holds a hand over his chest.

“Who says I wanna sit with Mr. Sunshine over here?” Isaac jabs a thumb over in Will’s direction.

“What is this rip on Will day?” The blond sighs handing the flight attendant his ticket and walking down the entryway. Isaac and Skylar follow after showing their tickets.

“I just figured you two would have more to talk about. I’m just planning on reading the entire flight so my company wouldn’t be very exciting.” Skylar pats her bag containing a few snacks, two bottles of water and the black book.

“We’ll see you later then. If you need us then come find us.” Isaac waves shimmying down the aisle behind Will toward the back of the plane. Skylar makes her way to her seat in the center row next to a small boy no older than seven. An adult woman sat on the left side of him already snoring in her seat. Giving the boy a small smile she takes her seat placing her messenger bag by her feet.

Bright hazel eyes look up at her. “Hi! My name’s Elliot!” The boy introduces himself holding a small hand out for Skylar to shake. She takes his hand in her own giving it a small shake and a bright smile. He returns it with his own toothy grin.

“Why hello there Elliot my name is Skylar. Are you traveling with your mother today?” Elliot shakes his mop of dark brown hair at her question.

“Nuh uh, I’m flying by myself today cause mommy is waiting for me at home. What about you miss? How come you’re by yourself?” He questions and Skylar admires his politeness. It was oddly flattering being as most children his age aren’t exactly nice.

“Oh I’m not, my brother and friend are just sitting somewhere else. We couldn’t find seats close to each other. It’s not all bad though cause I get to sit next to a very nice boy.” Elliot grins at this much to her enjoyment.

“So you don’t mind talking to me? My mom always complains about how I talk too much.” He frowns and Skylar makes it her sole mission to keep a smile on this child’s face through the whole flight.

“Of course not. I actually prefer the company.” She giggles and pauses their conversation briefly to listen to the announcements. Clicking her seatbelt in she double checks both Elliot’s and the snoring woman’s as well. From the corner of her eye she notices Elliot grip the armrests on his seat tighter. _He must be scared to fly, poor thing. Hey Zeus mind doing a girl a solid and not shaking the plane? Thanks._ Gently she grips one of his hands in her own to offer a form of comfort. Elliot squeezes it as the plane gains speed and lifts off of the runway. His eyes clench closed until the plane finally levels out in the air. Soft humming fills the small space and Elliot peaks his eyes open to look at Skylar. His shoulders visibly relax listening to the quiet tune.

“Are you a singer miss Skylar?” He questions staring up at the blonde.

“I am. Here’s an idea, how about I tell you a story to pass the time?” His hazel eyes light up at the question and nods furiously.

Skylar dives right into the story basically summing up the life of a demigod. “Somewhere hidden in the fog of Long Island Sound lies a camp filled with children born from Greek gods. For each god there is a cabin erected at the camp for them even if they do not have children. Currently there are twelve. There’s Zeus, god of the sky and ruler of all other Olympians. His daughter Thalia left camp to become a hunter. Hera, Zeus’s wife and goddess of marriage and family. She doesn’t have any children at the camp. Poseidon the god of the sea. His son Percy can speak to horses and manipulate water. There’s also Demeter the goddess of grain and Ares the god of war. Ares’s daughter Clarisse fights her opponents with a spear charged with electricity.” She pauses to see Elliot honed in on listening to the story. His hazel eyes full of wonder.

“Next we have Athena the goddess of wisdom and battle tactics. Annabeth, Athena’s daughter is one of the best strategists you’ll ever meet. My personal favorite Apollo the god of the sun, light, healing, music, poetry, archery and prophecy. Prophecies are sort of like predictions of the future. I’ve heard his son Will is one of the best healers at camp, his singing could use some work though.” Skylar giggles along with Elliot.

“Apollo has a twin sister named Artemis. She’s the goddess of the hunt but instead of having children of her own she recruits young female warriors to travel alongside her. Cabin number nine stands for Hephaestus the god of forges. Right after him is the bright pink cabin for Aphrodite the goddess of love and beauty. One of her sons, Isaac is new to the camp and is still finding a place to fit in.”

“He shouldn’t have to fit in. I feel you should be able to be whatever you wanna be.” Elliot interrupts with a bright smile. Skylar agrees with him wholeheartedly focusing back on her explanation.

“After Aphrodite you can find Hermes the messenger god. His two sons Connor and Travis are sneaky and love to play pranks on unsuspecting campers. Dionysus the god of wine, parties and madness supplies the final cabin. Pollux and Castor as his sons, they were twins but big mean monsters took Castor far away from his brother never to be seen again. Even though that’s all the cabins there is one more god I’d like to mention before getting to the action. Hades the god of the dead and riches. His son is actually very good friends with a daughter of Apollo.”

“But isn’t Apollo the god of healing? Why would she be friends with a boy who’s dad literally rules over the dead?” Elliot questions his eyebrows furrowed.

“Nobody can pick who their parents are Elliot. Just because the two are opposites doesn’t mean they can’t be friends. In fact, I think those friendships are the best there is.” A warm smile graces her lips at the thought.

“Now being the child of a demigod is never easy for these children. They rarely ever see their godly parent and their lives are constantly in danger. Most of their days are spent training in the arena or climbing a rock wall that shoots real lava!” Skylar makes an exploding sound. “One time there was a breach in the border surrounding Camp Half-blood. A giant hound the size of a truck threatened the lives of the campers. Using their swords, spears and arrows they worked as a team to confront the beast. It let out a mighty howl charging through the crowd and throwing the kids aside that dared stand in its way. The son of Poseidon, Percy used his power over water to knock the beast off balance giving the other campers time to regroup and strike at the hound. In a burst of light the monster vanished leaving only a large pile of gold dust behind.”

“Whoa! I bet the campers were scared right? I would be if I had to fight giant monsters all the time.” Elliot gapes at Skylar.

“Of course they were. They are still human after all. At some point they grow accustomed to the constant danger until it becomes just another day to them.” The young boy nods at her explanation. Skylar continues to tell Elliot stories about Camp Half-blood until they are two hours into the flight. His head leans against her arm as his eyes fall closed to get some rest. Instead of getting some sleep like her young companion she decides to finally crack open the book she brought with her.

It was left on her pillow one night and never got the chance to read it. The cover itself was nothing too special just made out of hard, black leather. Upon opening it to the first page her eyes almost bulge from their sockets. There, written in delicate scripture is the name of Bianca di Angelo.

Isaac groans from boredom shifting his hunter green eyes to look over at Will. The blonde stayed focus on the novel in his hands oblivious to his friend’s complaints. A finger begins to prod at his cheek tearing him away from finding who the murderer is. Raising an eyebrow he looks at Isaac slightly annoyed.

“Can I help you?” He questions wanting to return to the murder novel he was reading.

“I’m going crazy from boredom man. The little twerp kicking my seat isn’t helping.” Isaac grumbles turning to glare harshly at the kid behind him. Will sighs bookmarking his page and pulling an Ipod from his bag. He offers an earbud to Isaac pressing shuffle on his playlist. Instantly the lyrics to ‘Old Scars/Future Hearts play through the speakers.

“I thought demigods couldn’t have electronics, something about them being monster attractors?” Isaac questions as Will hums quietly along with the music.

“Normally they are. Luckily we have a few skilled mechanics at camp that hooked the Apollo cabin up. We each have our own monster proof devices.” Will explains. Settling into his seat Isaac allows the music to ease his previous boredom. As more songs played he had to admit Will had pretty nice taste in music. After about an hour a head full of wavy blonde hair falls on Issac’s shoulder. Chuckling to himself he removes the earbud from Will’s ear and inserts it in his own allowing the boy to rest for the remaining time they had left.

Narrowing her eyes at the page Skylar contemplates actually reading the book now. It obviously didn’t belong to her and its new rightful owner would be Nico. Chewing on her bottom lip she turns to the next page hoping that Bianca would forgive her. Deciphering the sentences took some time due to her dyslexia but what she could make out she pieced together. It was Bianca’s journal, a recollection of her events from being led to a hotel by a lawyer. Something had happened to their mother and as a result they were taken away to live elsewhere. Skimming through the pages Skylar learns more and more about the young girl. Even little pieces about Nico were included. She was seeing the hard life Bianca led and realized how justified her choice to join The Hunters of Artemis was. Ever since their mother passed away Bianca had to fill her place acting as both mother and sister to Nico. _All she wanted was to live her own life. Bianca saw becoming a hunter as an opportunity to do that. I wonder if Artemis did as well._

Skylar doesn’t realize she’s crying until halfway through the journal and the plane finally lands. The concerned face of Elliot appears in front of her, his hand shaking her shoulder. “Miss Skylar? Are you okay?” She hurries to wipe away the tears on her blouse sleeve nodding at him.

“Y-Yeah, I was just reading a sad book is all.” Tossing the book back into her bag she unbuckles her seatbelt and helps Elliot retrieve his bag from the carry on compartment. Together they depart from the plane and step off the side of the long hallway to wait for Isaac and Will. The duo emerges last, Will was still half asleep and Isaac walked behind him urging him to walk with a yawn.

“About time you two showed up.” Skylar scolds them placing a hand on her hip.

“Cut us some slack I had to force Will out of the seat and my legs went numb from the nonexistent leg room.” Isaac sighs hoisting Will’s bag over his shoulder as the group begins to walk.

“Mhmm, hey Sky? Am I still dreaming or do you have a kid holding your hand?” Will asks rubbing his eyes and looking down at Elliot.

“Oh, right. This is Elliot, he kept me company on the plane. He’s traveling alone so I offered to stay with him until we find his mom. Elliot this is my brother, Will and our friend Isaac.” Elliot’s hazel eyes light up at the introduction.

“Like the campers from your story miss Skylar! It’s nice to meet you!” He cheers giving the boys a dazzling smile.

“Hey kiddo.” Will waves lazily in greeting giving the young child a warm smile.

“Hi there.” Isaac nods in greeting.

As they exit the gate Elliot looks around the crowd for his mother. “I don’t see her.” He frowns.

“You just need a better view is all.” Elliot squeals in surprise when Will hoists him up onto his shoulders. “There, how about now?” Hazel eyes scan over the faces of the crowd still coming up with nothing.

“Well let’s head to the front maybe your mom is just running a little late.” Skylar offers leading the group toward the escalators. Elliot keeps his eyes peeled for a trace of his mother as the young teens near the sliding glass doors leading outside Houston airport. A woman with curly black hair and tan skin weaves through the swarm of people traversing through the building.

“Elliot darling there you are!” She waves nearing Will, Skylar and Isaac. Will sets down the young boy running to his mom with open arms.

“Mommy!” He grins burying his face into her shirt as she lifts him into the air.

“How was the flight sweetheart? Were you scared?” She questions setting the young boy on her hip.

“Nuh uh! Miss Skylar told me stories so I forgot I was even in the air.” Her eyes shift from her son over to the teens standing off to the side.

“She did? Well that was very nice of her. How about you say thank you to her and her friends for keeping you company.” Elliot’s mother smiles setting her son back down on the ground. Skylar kneels to the ground to engulf the little one in a hug after he runs over.

“Miss Skylar? Were those stories you told me true?” His voice whispers in her ear.

“If you believe it to be true then it just might be.” Skylar boops his nose gently with her finger ushering him back to his mother.

“Oooh, I get it. Thank you miss Skylar!” He calls departing with his mom.

“You’re very welcome Elliot, take care!” She waves until they’re out of sight turning back to the smiling faces of Isaac and Will. “Hm?”

“You have a habit in picking up strays Skylar.” Isaac chuckles ruffling her hair. She merely shrugs at his comment walking with the boys to the car waiting outside to take them home.

Isaac stared in awe at the twins’ house after stepping out of the car. Skylar nudges him in the side also looking up at the home. The outside was made up of red brick and white vinyl siding. The roof itself is tin and Skylar recalls enjoying the sound it made when rain hit against it. A large porch took up most of the front of the house, its roof supported by carved wooden beams painted white to match the vinyl. A woman sat in one of the rocking chairs on the front porch, a notebook in her lap. Her auburn hair curled around her ears falling slightly out of the clip pinning it back.

“Mom!” Skylar and Will rush up to her engulfing the woman in a group hug. Ms. Solace kisses the top of her children’s heads squeezing their bodies against her.

“I missed you two so much, how has camp been?” She questions releasing the twins. Isaac coughs awkwardly gaining her attention. “Who is this?” Calm eyes look over the brunet.

“This is Isaac Mackenzie. I hope you don’t mind that we brought him, he just...couldn’t stay at camp right now.” Will introduces walking over to said boy and slinging an arm around his shoulder.

“It’s nice to meet you ma’am.” Isaac says nervously playing with the locket around his neck.

“Honey there’s no need to be so formal call me Naomi.” Ms. Solace smiles pleasantly. “Although I do wish these two would of told me sooner. I could of had a bed all ready for you.”

“No no please don’t trouble yourself over me. I’ll just crash on the couch or something.” He  

Waves his hands at the kind woman.

“Don’t worry mom, we’ll handle it.” Skylar reassures her mother and head inside the house. Will follows after her with Isaac and they dive right into the tour. The house was divided into three floors. The first consisting of the kitchen, dining room, family room, bathroom and laundry area. On the second floor were three bedrooms each with their own bathroom and a music room. The third floor consisted of the attic but all the storage boxes have been pushed to one side of the room leaving the rest of the wooden floor free to walk on. One thing Isaac noted was that every room in the house had a massive window allowing sunlight to stream in. Travelling back downstairs they walk through the sliding glass door in the kitchen leading into the back yard.

“You...have animals?” Isaac questions pointing at the large red barn in the distance.

“Just horses, we can go riding while you’re here if you want. There’s also a lake deep in the woods over there.” Skylar points to a forest not too far away from the barn.

“Alright you three I need to get you enrolled at the school. Can you handle lunch and settling in while I’m gone?” Naomi calls from the kitchen jingling her car keys in her hand. Will tells her they’ll take care of it. Skylar tells the boys she’s going to bring her bags to her room and unpack. This left lunch in the hands of two boys.

“Pizza rolls?” Isaac asks holding the bag into the air after sifting through the freezer. Will looks over nodding his head in agreement. It was the only thing the could cook properly given the limited experience they each had. Everything would be fine. As long as they didn’t burn the house down that is.


	16. Skylar's Milkshakes Bring the Boys to the Yard

_Isaac found himself standing in a dimly lit room. The only source of light being a few torches hanging on the walls. In the center of the room looking over a map of the United States was the last person he ever wanted to see. Dustin Wagner. ‘Gods no, not him.’ Walking forward Isaac listened in on his conversation with a dark skinned boy, his arm in a sling._

_“My original plan to dispose of that insolent fool was ruined by those damned Solace Twins. I should of been more careful, took into account that the girl would of jumped.” Dustin bites his thumb scanning over the map. His baby blue eyes were clouded over with hatred._

_“Aren’t you taking this whole revenge thing a little too far? So what if the kid didn’t die? He’s bound to sooner or later when the Titan King brings Olympus to its knees.”  The boy comments in a monotone voice._

_Dustin whips his head around to glare at him. “No! He must die by my hand or it will all be worthless.” Turning back to the map his body freezes. “Someone is spying on us.”_

_Isaac moves to step back only to find his feet glued to the carpet. ‘Come on, move!’ He urges as Dustin and his comrade look directly at him. Dustin advances toward him muttering a few words. The green-eyed boy could feel his throat constrict with each one cutting off his air supply._

_“Isaac! Wake up!”_

_“Isaac!”_

_Helplessly Isaac looks around for the new voice black dots clouding his vision. ‘I need to get away!’ His feet dragged across the carpet to a door as he gasped for air. Just as his hand turns the doorknob his body collapses into a dark abyss. The words Dustin uttered echoing around him_

_“No matter where you hide I will always find you. They can’t save you forever.”_

Isaac jolts awake taking in gulps of air clutching a hand desperately at his chest. Bleary green eyes dart around the room searching for any sign of the platinum blonde boy. Will, who was calling his name knelt beside his mattress on the floor, one hand on his shoulder.

“Isaac? Are you alright? You were crying out in your sleep.” Sympathy radiated off the son of Apollo. Quiet knocking comes from Will’s door before a disheveled Skylar pokes her head in.

“Guys?” She questions stepping into the room when her eyes fall on a teary eyed Isaac. Shutting the door behind her she walks over to the two sitting on the mattress beside Isaac.

“D-Dustin, he was looking for m-me.” The boy stutters as Will rubs his back.

“It could've just been a nightmare bud.” Skylar tells him quietly. Isaac shakes his head quickly instantly denying the idea.

“It was real, I-I could feel it. He said you two c-couldn’t protect me forever.” He mutters reaching for Skylar’s hand. “What if he finds me and makes me...you know...”

“We won’t let him Charmspeak you again Isaac. Now that you know what he’s capable of you should be able to fight him if he uses it again. It’s effectiveness wears off once the victim becomes self aware.” Will explains coaxing the brunet into laying back down. The three needed to be up in four hours for school. Him and Skylar were used to getting up early but he was worried about Isaac’s ability to function after a nightmare.

The twins offer to sit with him until he falls asleep. Each take turns singing soft lullabies inching him closer to slumber. After making sure Isaac's asleep Will glances over at his now wide awake sister. Her eyes were staring at the wall signalling she was thinking hard about something. “Sky? You still with me?”

A soft hum of agreement comes from her mouth turning to look at her brother. You should go back to sleep.” Her hand reaches over moving some of his blond hair from his eyes. Will nods retreating to his bed instantly curling up under the covers. Skylar fixes Isaac’s blanket walking to the door and quietly exiting back to her room leaving the boys to rest.

Closing the door to her own room she lets out a groan. Focusing on school would be hard enough but now she had to keep an eye out for treacherous demigods. Deciding to get a early start Skylar sets out her outfit for the day on her bed before heading to the bathroom.

Leaning her head against the shower wall she closes her eyes. _It’ll all work out in the end. Just stay optimistic._ Reaching for the shampoo she works it through her blonde locks. _I’ve got Will with me. My forever loyal brother._ Moving onto the body wash Skylar lets out a sigh. “I just want one day without anything to stress about.” Finishing up in the shower she towel dries her hair lounging in a bathrobe atop the bench attached to her windowsill. Looking up at the constellations she spots the one symbolizing a huntress. Skylar reminisces the first time she ever met Zoë Nightshade.

*Begin Flashback*

The moment Skylar Solace laid her eyes on Zoë Nightshade she knew they wouldn't get along. Which would explain their current predicament. Two girls whom were complete opposites glared at one another. One stood proud with her braided brown hair, intense black eyes and silver hunter's coat. The other's blue eyes twitched in irritation, her curly blonde hair resting upon tense shoulders. Bows with glinting arrows, one made of bronze another of silver, were notched ready to fire at the slightest movement. Neither would back down itching to release an arrow into the other person's body. Surrounding campers watched in shock at the events unfolding. Chiron could be seen galloping to swiftly diffuse the situation.  

"Insult my brother again Zoë and I shall run you through. Artemis's maidens aren't the only ones good with a bow." The blonde scowls.

"Skylar it was just childish comment put your bow down!" A sandy haired male known as Will Solace gingerly touches the blonde girl's shoulder. He appreciated her sticking up for him but things were escalating far too quickly. Thankfully the female relaxes her hold on the bow string.

"Thy must work on her temper if she is to become a Hunter. Do well to heed this advice young one." Zoë speaks, her accent coating every word. Her arms relax returning the arrow to her quiver and departing to the Artemis cabin with her fellow Hunters. Skylar curses in Greek as Chiron advances on her.

"There will be no quarreling with The Hunters of Artemis! I'm well aware not all of you get along with them but Artemis herself has instructed they be allowed shelter here." The centaur scolds his tail flicking in anger.

"I'm sure there won’t be anymore trouble Chiron. My sister is just having a bad day. Isn't that right sis?" Will nudges said girl in the side.

"Right. It won't happen again sir." Skylar apologizes for the disturbance rushing from the scene to cool down. She soon finds herself sitting under a tree at the edge of the woods. Taking deep breathes she relaxes her back against the bark pressing her face into her knees.

*End Flashback*

Smiling sadly Skylar dresses for the day in a sunflower printed loose fitting blouse, jeans and white converse. Even to this day the offer she received to join The Hunters of Artemis still stands. While braiding her hair she glances at the clock, 5:30 A.M. “Mom might sleep in this morning so I better cook breakfast.” Tying off the end of the braid she lays it across her left shoulder exiting her room to head to the kitchen.

At around six Will stumbles down the stairs with Isaac as Skylar finishes the last of the pancakes. Bother were dressed casually in t-shirts, shorts and sneakers. Pushing plates to them both she receives a mumbled thanks.

“Sorry about last night you guys.” Isaac mumbled poking at his food with a fork.

“No need to apologize.” Will tells the brunet. He took a sip from his mug watching as his sister dumps her coffee down the drain. Their mother refused to drink anything but decaf and Skylar hated it. He smirked to himself at the sight. For months he’s been trying to get her to drink less coffee after she stayed up twenty four hours running on just the caffeinated beverage.

“Will’s right, friends are there to help each other.” Isaac nods at her placing his dirty dishes in the dishwasher. The bus picking them up would be arriving shortly. Shuffling through the papers on the table Skylar writes a quick note for Naomi and grabs their schedules running out the door after Isaac and Will. Dust kicks into the air as the yellow school bus pulls up in front of them. Isaac sits beside Skylar leaving Will to sit in the seat in front of theirs.

Antsy, Skylar twirls the ring around her finger chiming in every once and awhile to make small talk with the boys until they arrive at the school. The building itself wasn’t much to look at. Just a two story concrete rectangle painted the ugliest peach color they’ve ever seen. Ironically enough the school mascot was a pegasus making Skylar miss Ortus even more. The trio stops just short of the steps leading into the building to glance at one another.

“Here’s to learning and attempting to be normal students?” Skylar offers with a shrug. She placed her hand in the center of them.

“We’ll be fine, just need to lay low.” Will places his hand on top of his sister’s. They look expectantly to Isaac. With a sigh he places his hand on top of Will’s finishing the small pep talk.

“Here, here.”

Will wanted to kick himself for even believing they could lie low. It all started in history when the teacher mentioned they’d be learning about Ancient Greek History. His teacher, Mrs. Burns asked him to name a few of the Greek gods. Not wanting to look like a bad student he went off to list all the gods he could. Skylar shot him a look from across the room once he finished but swiftly turned to the student who dared call him a dweeb. Muttering an insult in Latin she gave the girl a sickening sweet smile. It wasn’t until around lunch time things settled down.

He and Skylar sat at round table near the back of the cafeteria bickering amongst themselves when Isaac plops down on the other side of his sister. Halting their argument about joining the archery team they set their eyes on the new arrival. “You look like a horse ran you over. Rough last period?” Skylar remarks stealing a chicken nugget from Isaac’s plate. He gives her a soft glare moving his tray out of her reach.

“Try the soccer team. I swear that coach has it in for me. Why’d your mom have to sign me up for PE anyway? Couldn’t I of taken home ec or something less physical?” Isaac complains taking a swig of his soda.

“It’s required that we take it at least once. Cheer up we all have art together after lunch.” Will tells the son of Aphrodite.

Skylar nods in agreement taking a bite out of her apple. Footsteps approached their table causing the three to look up. Standing on the other end of the table was a girl with black and blue streaked hair styled in a bob. Her outfit rivaled even Nico’s in the dark department consisting of a leather jacket, ripped skinny jeans, and combat boots. All of which was the deepest shade of black you could buy. Skylar rubbed her eyes to make sure it wasn’t Thalia standing before her. Stern amber eyes look them over with displeasure.

“This is my table so why don’t you three beat it?” She orders.

“We were here first, go find someplace else.” Isaac scoffs wincing when Skylar kicks him in the shin. She didn’t want trouble on their first day.

“I’ll just ignore what you just said so I don’t smack you.” The girl tells Isaac shifting her weight from one foot to the other.

“Look we don’t want any trouble. There’s plenty of room so why don’t you just sit with us?” Will speaks up to diffuse the situation before it gets out of hand. The girl scowls giving in to Will’s charming smile and placing her tray on the table taking a seat across from Skylar. He feels his sister tap his leg in appreciation. What could he say? He was used to diffusing arguments between campers.

“I’m Skylar, this is my brother Will and the pouty one over there is Isaac. May I ask your name?” Skylar asks with a polite smile.

“Avery.” She mutters in reply.

“Well Avery, it’s nice to meet you. I hope we can get along from now on.” Amber eyes stare at the blonde incredulously. Just a second ago she was being so rude to her and her friends but here Skylar was showing her politeness. This was the first time anyone had been nice to her since moving to this school herself. Avery found herself nodding at the blonde as she turned to resume her previous conversation with her brother. A faint smile appears in Avery’s face. School might not be so bad.

The day couldn’t end soon enough so by the time it did they were already wishing to be back at camp. Skylar waved goodbye to Avery as they exited their math class walking with Will and Isaac to the bus. She reaches out to grab their backpacks pulling them to a stop. “Who’s up for a milkshake?” Isaac’s eyes light up at the sound of the sugary beverage while Will looked a bit skeptical.

“Do you still have money from your last allowance? I thought you spent it all during your last quest.”

“Nah, I kept some saved up in case of an emergency. Being low on a sugar intake counts as one right?” She grins nudging her brother in the side. “Come on I’ll even buy yours for you.”

Will pretends to think it over resting a hand on his chin. “Hm…” Isaac and Skylar team up giving him sad puppy eyes. The son of Aphrodite going as far as to make whimpering noises. “Okay fine! Just no more sad puppies.” He gives in.

“Yes! Sugar wonderland here we come!” Skylar cheers running ahead. Isaac laughs running after the girl asking if she was buying his milkshake too. To which she replies with a yes laughing as the brunet jumps for joy. Will follows at a much slower pace shaking his head at them. They were absolute dorks but he wouldn’t trade them for anything in the world.

They arrive at the diner ordering a plate of fries and three milkshakes of various flavors. The fries were insisted by Skylar claiming the sweet and salty combination was the best. Isaac and Will chose not to argue, she was the one paying after all. After the waitress walks away they relax talking about all the classes they didn’t share together. Apparently in the boys’ math class Isaac managed to charm everyone including the teacher all by accident. Much to his embarrassment Will found it quite amusing and decided to share it with Skylar.

“I wish you could of seen it. One minute he was struggling to solve a problem, the next he had girls and guys alike throwing notes at him with the correct answer. His face turned so red I thought he was gonna pass out.” The twins snickered amongst themselves leaving Isaac to sulk.

“You guys are so mean to me.” Isaac huffs but his mood does a complete one-eighty when the waitress returns with their orders. He makes an obnoxious slurping sound gathering the attention of other customers. Skylar absentmindedly dips her fries in her chocolate milkshake as she watches the passersby outside. _I wonder how Nico’s doing. Maybe if he visits I can give him Bianca’s journal. It’s be nice just to see him._  

“I get that you’re enjoying it but you might want to chill before we’re throw out for bad table manners.” Will nudges Isaac with his foot under the table embarrassed at the stares.

“Fine, fine. Do you know if this place does refills cause I could totally go for another.” His green eyes shine brightly and the son of Apollo can’t help but smile. He seems to be doing much better than he was this morning. All traces of his nightmare forgotten for the time being.

“Drinking too many will give you a stomachache, you should probably just stop with the one. Although, if you really want you can just finish mine.” He pushes his glass across the table to Isaac. The brunet gladly accepts without a second thought slurping up the vanilla flavored liquid.

“Hey Will? Iris messages are supposed to work anywhere right? No matter where in the world the person you’re trying to contact may be?” His sister’s voice pipes up turning to look at him.

“Allegedly, yes. Why do you want to know?” Will questions before his eyes widen in realization. “Oooh I see you want to try talking to _him.”_ He teases pinching his sister’s cheek. She swats at his hand, a light blush dusting her freckled cheeks.

Isaac raises a brow at this. “Who’s him? Someone I know?”

“Yeah, it’s Ni-”

“Nice to talk to him yes I know that already Will.” Skylar exclaims covering her brother’s mouth. She gives him a warning look before turning back to Isaac with a nervous smile.

“Uhh, okay? That still doesn’t answer my question though.” His green eyes look at her skeptically. “Or do you just not want me to know?”

“No no it’s not like that at all. It’s Percy, his birthday is coming up soon and I wanted to tell him happy birthday.” She explains removing her hands from Will’s face scrunching her nose in disgust. He licked her.

“Oh, you could've just said do, Percy’s cool. Mind if I say hi to him too?” Skylar tells him she doesn’t mind at all and pays their bill also leaving a tip for the waitress. Leaving the diner they begin the walk home. About halfway down their driveway something dawns on Will.

“Sky, you planned ahead right? You better of told mom or she’ll ground us.” Said blonde places a hand on her chest in fake offense.

“Why of course dear brother of mine! This isn’t my first rodeo.” Skylar teases, allowing her accent to show through. Will rolls his eyes at her pushing open the front door.

“Mom we’re home!”

“Hey mom!”

“Hello Naomi!”

They all greet kicking off their shoes. Naomi pokes her head into the hallway a mixing bowl in her hand. “Hello dears how was your first day?” She smiles stirring whatever it is she had in the bowl.

“PE will be the death of me.” Isaac sighs dramatically falling into a chair at the counter.

“It’s not that bad, you’re just not in great shape.” Skylar teases ruffling his wavy brown hair. “Will was basically showing off in history class today. It was great.”

“Until you almost got in trouble for insulting a girl in latin...wait what did you say to her?” He questions.

“She called you a dweeb so I retaliated. What was said was unimportant.” She smiles sweetly trying to ignore her mother’s disapproving look.

“Oooh was it the Barbarian one?” Isaac asks looking over at the blonde. He was with Skylar when Annabeth taught it to her. It was one of his favorite silly Latin insults.

“Yup.” She grins.

“Skylar I’m all for you defending your brother just don’t get into a fight understand?” Naomi Solace tells her daughter pouring the batter into a pan.

“I’m not a little kid, come on.” Will sighs running a hand through his hair.

“I know you aren’t sweetheart. You both have just always been that way. Looking out for each other. It puts your mother at ease while she’s away.” Naomi pats her son’s head. Skylar nods in agreement heading upstairs to her room. She certainly didn’t expect the surprise awaiting her as she unlocked the door.


	17. Surprise!

Shutting the door, Skylar lets out a shriek of surprise at the specimen curled up on her bed. Stumbling backwards she trips over the rug crashing to the floor. Blue eyes watch at the body rises from it’s sleep training it’s attention on her. It’s body was slender, made entirely out of bone. A cracking noise breached the air as it stretched popping the joints back into place. The bone structure reminded her of a cat. “You’re a walking skeleton cat. Holy Hera I must be going crazy.” Skylar whispers to herself.

The skeleton cat bends its legs hopping off the bed. Skeleton feet click against the floor lightly as it meanders it’s way over to Skylar. Hesitantly she reaches out a hand observing as it rubs its head into it making a rattling noise very similar to that of a cat’s purr. A sigh of relief escapes her lips when the feline doesn’t attack. _Seems friendly enough. It’s a good thing I like cats._

“You’re...kind of cute. In a wonderfully spooky sort of way.” A glint of metal from around his neck catches her eye and she inspects the black collar around it’s neck. Attached to the band is a silver name tag in the shape of a skull with the name ‘Reaper’ in bronze lettering.

“Reaper huh? How’d yo-” Pausing she scoops Reaper into her arms. Skylar bolts out the door and down the stairs. Her socks slide across the kitchen floor, startling her mother at her sudden arrival. “Mom! Did anyone stop by here while we were at school?”

“Skylar what in the world is that?” Naomi gestures to the feline in her daughter’s arms.

“Mom this is serious!” The volume of her voice rose slightly grasping the attention of both Will and Isaac who were sitting at the table. Sometimes when she was

“Lower your voice dear, nobody was here that I know of.” Naomi calmly speaks to her daughter.

Isaac spits his water all over Will is shock. _“_ Is that a skeleton?!”

“Come on man, really?” Will grumbles wiping his face with a hand towel his mother offered him.

“Uh huh.” Skylar answers staring out the window her mind was reeling.

“Why do you have it exactly?” Her brother asks after cleaning his face of the spit-filled liquid.

“I dunno, just sort of found him. I’ll uh...see you guys at dinner.” Giving a distracted smile Skylar retreats back upstairs. She shakes her head glancing back down at Reaper. Just because her mom didn’t see him doesn’t mean he wasn’t here. There’s no other explanation for a skeleton cat appearing in her locked room. _Nico._

“Dude, what the Hades just happened?” Isaac looks to Will.

“You should know by not not to question my sister. She’s always doing weird things.” The blond chuckles with a shrug. “Now it’s payback time for spitting on me.” He smirks reaching out to grab Isaac who evades running out the back door. “Get back here Mackenzie!” Will calls chasing after the brunet. Isaac lets out a very manly shriek booking it across the grassy field. The sound of Will’s laughter and Isaac’s screams filled the air.

“Life is never boring with children around.” Naomi smiles to herself placing dinner in the oven.

Letting out a sigh Skylar sits on the edge of her bed. Reaper curled up atop her head making a content purring noise as her fingers brushed against his spine. Closing her blue eyes she rests her elbows on her thighs placing her head in her hands. It had to of been Nico. He’s the only one she knows capable of reanimating the dead.

“I hope he’s doing alright. If he shadow traveled just to give you to me I’d feel bad.” She mumbles to Reaper. “He knows it takes a lot out of him whether he’ll admit it or not.”

“You could just accept my gift you know.” A voice cuts in from across the room. Skylar’s eyes snap open at the new arrival landing on a figure standing beside her window. Sunlight streamed into the room casting a faint glow around his appearance. In a flash she crosses the floor gathering the shorter boy in a tight hug. Reaper hops down from her head onto the bench in front of the window. Nico stiffens at first still not used to the physical contact but slowly wraps his arms around her waist. His face buried into her shoulder taking in the warmth she naturally radiated.

“Neeks! Oh it’s so good to see you. Have you been taking care of yourself?” Skylar asks looking into his chocolate brown eyes frowning at the dark circles under his eyes. Her fingers brush lightly against his cheek. “They’ve gotten worse, you haven’t slept much.” The statement caught him off guard. How could she tell? He always had them, he was the son of Hades after all.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Nico denies shifting his gaze away from her.

Nuzzling her face into his hair she scrunches up her nose. He smelt of greasy fast food and smoke. “Nico you’re my boyfriend and I adore you but you need a shower.”

Embarrassed, Nico pulls away from the blonde his cheeks aflame. “I-I don’t exactly have a permanent home at the moment so showering everyday isn’t a luxury of mine.” He mumbles looking down at the floor.  

A wave of guilt hit the blonde girl full force. _He must think I’m making fun of him._ Taking his hand in her own she leads him over to her bathroom tugging him inside. “Go ahead and wash up. I’ll see if the boys have anything that will fit you.”

Before Nico can ask what she means by boys the door is closed with a click. _Maybe it’s a friend from school?_ Sighing to himself Nico turns to face the mirror taking into regard his unkempt appearance. His normally messy black hair was sticking up in different directions. The aviator jacket he always wore was covered in a month’s worth of dirt that was really only acquired in about a week. Underneath, the skull t-shirt adorning his figure had various tiny holes in it. Even his jeans were filthy matching his grim covered sneakers. _She must be disgusted with me._ Deciding to get it over with Nico undresses taking his time in the shower.

Walking across the hall to Will’s room Skylar turns the knob heading right inside to his closet. Shifting through the articles of clothing she tries to find something that will fit Nico while also maintaining his color palette. _I know for a fact Will has one dark colored he never wears. Aha!_ The blue-eyed blonde mentally celebrates pulling out a black t-shirt with a faded skull design on it. She also finds a pair of gray jeans and boxers. The jeans might be a tad long but they could be rolled up. Whistling to herself she shuts the closet door making her way back into her room. Skylar’s knuckles rap against the door since the water was still running.

“Nico? I have a change of clothes for you. I’ll set them down outside the door.” No reply is heard but she trusts he heard her. Retrieving Bianca’s journal from her desk she curls up on the bench to read. Dinner would be soon and hopefully her mother wouldn’t mind another surprise guest. Naomi absolutely adored Isaac already and it’s only been a couple of days. Who's to say she wouldn’t dote on Nico as well? Flipping through the pages a faint creak is heard in the air as Nico swipes the clothes from the floor promptly closing the door as fast as it opened.

Soft knocking interrupts her reading as her mother pokes her head inside. “Skylar? Dinner will be ready in about ten minutes.” She goes to shut the door but Skylar leaps from her spot asking her to stop.

“Oh mom!” Skylar lowers her voice so Nico won’t overhear. “Someone from camp sort of dropped in unexpectedly and was in need of some fresh clothes. He hasn’t had a good meal or a warm bed in a while. It would mean the world to me if he could stay for at least tonight.” She whispers hoping her mom would agree. If she did she just had to convince Nico and everything would be set.

“There’s plenty of food but we’ll have to settle sleeping arrangements after dinner. Come downstairs when you’re both ready.” Naomi shuts the door. Faintly Skylar hears her mother muttering about only remembering having two kids but gained two more within a few days. Snickering to herself Skylar returns to her seat by the window.

A few minutes later Nico emerges from his shower, a towel draped over his dripping wet hair. Smiling softly Skylar pats the space in front of her gesturing for him to sit down. Reluctantly he obeys shutting his eyes as her hands gently dry off his obsidian locks. Quiet humming fills the room, a song he can’t quite place but puts him at ease. After his hair is dry enough a comb is worked through his hair carefully untangling any knots. This reminded him of when Bianca was still alive. She would always make sure he properly dried his hair and warn him of catching a cold when he didn’t. Skylar must of noticed the sadness in his expression. The humming ceased only to be replaced by her caring voice.

“How about you stay here tonight? We can get your clothes washed, get you a warm meal and a nice bed to sleep in.” Nico shakes his head at her kindness. He didn’t want any handouts. The clothes he currently wore made him feel out of place enough. Taking any more would be too much.

“I’ll be fine. I just stopped by to give you Reaper and to check in. I should get going.” His body goes to stand only to be held back by a firm grip on his wrist.

“Nico di Angelo you are going to stay the night or so help me I will tie you to the dining room chair.” Her eyes were stern, a faint glow coming from her hand.

Giving in he nods in her direction bringing a serene smile to her face that always makes his heart beat faster. She always looked best with a smile. Lacing her fingers with his Skylar leads him across the room and out the door. They travel down the hall to a set of stairs where Nico hears voices conversing down below. _It’s just Will and Skylar’s mother. Don’t run._ He takes a deep breath following the blonde down the stairs not expecting to see a familiar green-eyed boy laughing alongside Will Solace. Laughter abruptly ceases at their arrival all eyes training on the odd pair.

“Skylar you didn’t tell me he was here.” Nico hisses in her ear glancing at Isaac and back to her.

“Some...things happened. Sorry, I didn’t think to mention it.” She apologizes quietly turning to face her mother at the head of the table. “Mom this is Nico di Angelo. Nico this is Naomi Solace.” Skylar introduces gesturing to the auburn-haired woman with her hand.

Nico bows politely to the woman. “Thank you for allowing me to stay Ms. Solace.”

“It’s no trouble, now take a seat so we can eat.” Naomi smiles politely. Skylar hops into a seat across from Isaac. Nico sits in the seat to her right looking opposite of his spot at Will. He sure didn’t change since he last saw him at camp. Still the same old shaggy blond hair and vibrant blue eyes. They may be twins but Nico could point out the difference in the shade of blue between Skylar and Will’s eyes almost instantly. His were more of a dark sky blue while his sister’s were cerulean.

Ms. Solace serves everyone a plate of her famous pot roast, mashed potatoes and green beans. Hungrily the kids all dig in giving their compliments to the chef. Will gives Nico a pleasant smile from across the table issuing a conversation.

“This is a surprise. Didn’t expect to see you outside of camp. You come to visit Skylar?”

“Something like that.” Came Nico’s short reply.

“What’s that supposed to mean? Why are you here then death breath?” Isaac who had been silently staring at the boy throughout dinner decides to speak up.

“I don’t need to explain myself to you.” Nico snaps. Isaac’s blatant distaste toward him was just confirming that he didn’t belong in the warm and comforting home. Skylar gently pats his leg three times with her right hand. Her way of telling him to calm down.

“Isaac he doesn’t need a reason to visit my sister. Nico’s her boyfriend.” Will breaks the news to his friend casually as if he was just talking about the weather. Isaac’s mouth hangs open in shock at the new information. Naomi continued to eat her food entirely calm about the situation. She had a hunch this was the case when she spoke with Skylar earlier. Her daughter’s demeanor changed entirely when she spoke about Nico. Ms. Solace didn’t have a problem with her daughter dating as long as the boy didn’t break her heart.

“WHAT?!” Nico winces at the boy’s loud tone wanting nothing more than to forget this whole thing and shadow travel far away. This was beginning to become more of a hassle than he signed up for. If he did Skylar would be upset and he’d never hear the end of it.

“Since when?! Will why didn’t you tell me?!” Isaac shakes the blond boy’s shoulders.

“I thought you knew already. Why are you making such a big deal out of it?” Will questions fighting the dizziness from the brunet shaking him around. His hands reach out to cease Isaac’s movements.

“Because!” Green eyes shift over to Nico who awkwardly pushed the food around his plate.

“Because?” Will presses drawing his attention away from the son of Hades and back to himself.

“I loved her!” Isaac blurts out before he could stop himself. Instantly he wished to take it back.

“W-what?” Skylar’s voice comes out small.

Ocean eyes lock onto his hunter green orbs astonishment and sadness meeting his gaze. The silverware Skylar once held in her grasp clattered onto her plate. Everything made sense now. Why Nico and Isaac were acting unpleasant to one another. The reason Nico was troubled after realizing the son of Aphrodite was in her home. Isaac Mackenzie loved her, Skylar Solace. The scraping of a chair breaches the tense silence. Footsteps retreat swiftly up the stairs followed by Will calling out to his sister to wait.

Nico excuses himself from the table thanking Naomi for the food and heads up the stairs in pursuit of Skylar. Whatever is going through her head right now he was going to figure out.

“Isaac? I’m sorry...I-I didn’t know.” Will apologizes trying to comfort his crestfallen friend. His hand reaches out to him only to be slapped away.

“Dont! Just...don’t.” Isaac’s voice wavers and he leaves the room heading outside to clear his head. Will watched helplessly as he walked away. Crestfallen he helps his mother clean up the table every once and awhile glancing out the kitchen window. Any plans for a happy meal among friends long forgotten.


	18. Parental Guidance

Quiet sniffles filled the night air as one despairing young man stared across the lake. Knees pulled to his chest and eyes full of tears he tried to erase the previous event from his mind. Isaac wanted to scream to let out his emotions into the deathly silent night. His life had become a roller coaster since learning of Olympians, demigods and monsters. Burying his face into his knees he lets out another sob. Unknown to the son of Aphrodite beautiful flowers began to spread around him.

“Do not cry my son. It is not yet over for you mon petit Isaac.” An elegant voice addresses him. Lifting his head up his eyes falls on the most beautiful woman he’s ever seen. Her chestnut hair fell in perfect curls framing her blemish free face. Sapphire jewel-like eyes sparkled even in the faint moonlit night. She even made jeans and a simple green blouse look model worthy.

“M-mom?” Isaac questions as the young woman settles herself beside him atop a freshly grown bed of flowers. She looked exactly how Isaac always pictured her to be.

“I’m deeply sorry for not meeting you face to face sooner but I can promise you I’ve always been keeping my eye on you.” Aphrodite smiles pleasantly at her son.  Her slender finger reaches over to wipe a tear from his eye.

“Y-You’re not disappointed in me? I’m not popular or the best looking guy out there.” Isaac frowns looking away from his mother.

“Isaac, you are everything I expected you to be. A charming young man walking to the beat of his own drum. If change is what you truly desire you have the power to do so.” Aphrodite waves her hand changing his clothes into a black leather jacket, teal t-shirt, dark jeans and brand new black converse sneakers. Even his unruly wavy hair was combed and nicely swept to the side. She motions for Isaac to look at his reflection in the water. Leaning over the edge Isaac gasps quietly barely recognizing himself.

“I look...wow.” He chuckles pinching his cheek to make sure this wasn’t a dream.

“How you choose to display yourself is entirely your decision. Do keep in mind however that there are those out there that will except you no matter what you decide. Love is a powerful thing Isaac. We all yearn for it yet never expect the dark side it harbors as well.” Aphrodite speaks. “For most of my children their fatal flaws have been their vanity. Yours however lies in your insecurity. Learn to trust in those around you even if they may seem hard to reach. Have confidence in yourself and take hold of what you truly desire inside.” She gently prods his chest with a perfectly manicured finger.

“I’ll do my best mom.” He feels her gently gather him into her strong arms. Breathing in her sweet perfume Isaac relaxes into her hold. All he ever dreamed of was receiving a hug from his mother and now here she was.

“I trust you know what you need to do now?” Gently Aphrodite pulls away from her son placing a freshly bloomed Amaryllis into his hair.

“Yeah.” Isaac nods watching as his mother rises to her feet. Giving her son one last gently smile she disappears in a flurry of flower petals. The son of Aphrodite clenches his fists a newfound sense of conviction coursing through him.

Staring at the ceiling a daughter of Apollo laid on the hard wooden floor of her bedroom. It was times like this Skylar took the time to gather her thoughts. The last few days all seemed to blend together. Carrying Nico through the Underworld, conversing with Hades, all of which led to the daughter of Apollo and son of hades confessing their feelings for each other. Then there’s the matter of what Isaac has been going through. Dustin mentioned Kronos so he’s obviously betraying the camp. She knew the gods could be unreasonable sometimes but overthrowing them would put the world into chaos. Now she found out the son of Aphrodite has had feelings for her. It was a lot to take in at one time. _I can’t believe I was so oblivious._

Nico sat on her bed unsure of where to begin. How would you start a conversation after your girlfriend find out another boy loved her? He wanted nothing more than to just see her smile again. The muddled expression housing her face now didn’t suit someone as cheerful as herself. Looking around her room his eyes fall upon a certain object. He doubted it would work but where was the harm in trying?

Skylar faintly registers the footsteps crossing her room but doesn’t think much of it. Anger, sadness, concern, love, confusion. They twisted together digging their claws deep within the confines of her heart. She wanted nothing more than to bury her sorrows in ice cream and cuddle with Nico. It pained her to think she couldn’t come up with a solution to any of the pending problems. A nagging feeling in the back of her mind tried to convince her this was all a misunderstanding.

When she first met Isaac she may of found him rather attractive in his own way. Spending more and more time with him made her realize she only saw him as a brother giving her the incentive she needed to pursue her true feelings. The ones she harbored for Nico di Angelo. After the events with Isaac jumping off the cliff Skylar slowly pieced what she believed to be occurring together. He wasn’t truly in love with her. Giving himself a reason to keep going everyday to grasp any amount of love and affection he can to compensate for his mother never being around. Skylar wasn’t the one for him she was certain of that. However she had an idea of who might be. _It is rather possible but I shouldn’t interfere...yet._

A sudden weight falls beside her drawing her attention to the quiver dangling from Nico’s fingers. “Huh? Nico what are you doing?”

“You can’t fix everything by yourself. If you keep thinking so much you’ll hurt yourself.” Nico smirked at her while pulling his shoes on. Skylar gives him a questionable look but pulls on her sneakers anyway. She didn’t see how shooting arrows would help with something like this but decided to trust the ghost king. Together they sneak downstairs and out the back door finding that both Will and Ms. Solace were nowhere to be found. Isaac was missing as well.

Unlatching the back door Nico slides it open ushering her outside and closing it behind them. “Nico we’ll be in huge trouble if we’re caught. I have school tomorrow!” Skylar hisses as they make their way through the forest. The sky was beginning to darken so she conjured a ball of light to illuminate the dirt path. It was a straight walk from the house to the lake so they wouldn’t get lost.

“We’ll be back before anyone notices we’re gone.” The son of Hades waves off her concern his eyes focused forward. They come across the clearing with a large lake in the center. It’s crystalline surface glimmered under the moonlight. Nico turns to Skylar offering her a bronze arrow. “Shoot.” He orders.

Skylar takes the arrow from his hand removing the ring on her finger to summon Spitfire. The golden bow lit up the area around them faintly. Notching the arrow she pulls back the string aiming across the water at a fallen stump. Taking a deep breath she steadies her aim releasing the string. The arrow soars dangerously close to the water’s surface before becoming embedded in the log. A bit of tension releases from her shoulders at the feeling. Oh how she missed this. Smiling faintly she retrieves two more arrows from Nico allowing them to fly making a satisfying crack as they pierce a tall tree in the distance. Nico sits on a rock not too far away watching Skylar with a faint smile.

The firing doesn’t cease until the daughter of Apollo is on her final arrow and something shifts in the trees. Nico senses it too already holding his Stygian Iron sword. Skylar notches the arrow treading lightly across the grass trying her best to not make any noise. Stopping a few feet away from the tree she pulls back the string as the leaves shake again. The arrow leaves her hold as the figure emerges from it’s hiding place pining whoever or whatever it was to the tree.

“H-hey!” A voice croaks and Skylar scales the tree climbing onto the lowest branch. An unintentional laugh leaves her lips at what she finds. Isaac hung halfway off the tree branch the arrow she shot trapping his jacket to the tree.

“Don’t laugh! You could've killed me!” Isaac complains.

“I-I’m so sorry. This just makes it twice that I’ve pinned someone to a tree with an arrow.” Skylar helps him back onto the branch and removes the arrow. She calls down to Nico giving him the all clear. The son of Hades leans against the tree trunk waiting for her to finish.

“Why are you two here? I’m sure Nico hates my guts and you running away was all the rejection I needed.” Isaac grumbles.

“Letting off a bit of pent up frustration.” She gestures to her bow slung on her back. “It was Nico’s idea. We should probably head back to the house. You could use some much needed rest.” Isaac scowls at the smile on her face.

“How can you be so happy all the time? Why is it so easy for you to keep a smile?” Isaac questions, a harsh tone to his voice.

Ignoring the tone in his voice she instead compliments his new clothes. “Nice threads, a tad different from your cozy sweaters though.”

“Don’t change the subject Skylar. Please.” Isaac shifts his gaze on her.

“Fine fine. The truth is it's not always easy to smile. I’ve just grown up always wanting nothing more than for those around me to have bright happy smiles. So I try my best to stay positive for those who no longer can.” Skylar turns to the green-eyed boy dropping the smile. “If it weren’t for Nico I’d still be wracking my brain for an answer I’d never find. A way for me to make you happy without giving up Nico’s happiness. When in reality it’s up to you to decide where to go from here. I can’t give you what you want but there’s someone out there who can. All you need to do is find them.”

“Nobody is ever happy all the time Isaac. If they are then they’re lying. I’d give up my happiness any day if it meant the ones I cared about could go on smiling.” She finishes embracing the cold wind blowing through the gaps in the leaves. Allowing her body to fall she hangs by her legs waiting for Isaac’s response.

“I...understand now. Gotta admit it does suck being rejected but we’re still friends right?” He calls down to the blonde.

“Of course were are bud. You think I’d let you drop our friendship like a hat? Pfft!” She giggles earning a small smile from Isaac.”We’d better get back to the house, mom and Will don’t know we’re gone.”

“Right, sorry.” Isaac slowly climbs down the tree trying his best not to fall. Skylar calls out a warning to Nico before letting herself fall. The son of Hades’ eyes widen at the figure falling toward him. With an ‘omph’ he barely catches the girl landing on the ground with Skylar in his arms.

“What am I going to do with you?” Nico groans.

“Hey I gave you a warning.” She sticks her tongue out at him. Standing she pulls him back on his feet. Isaac who took the safe way down walks over to join the two. Much to her surprise Isaac stops in front of the son of Hades holding out a hand to him.

“I...want to apologize for judging you without getting to know you and for...being jealous. It was childish of me and it won’t happen again. Any friend of Skylar’s is a friend of mine.” Nico eyes the boy’s hand for a minute before accepting it, giving it a shake.

“I’ve grown used to it. You tend to get a few unwanted stares being a Ghost King.” Nico shrugs. “No harm done.”

Skylar can’t help but let out a happy giggle at the two pulling them into a tight hug. “You guys!” She grins kissing Nico’s head and messing up Isaac’s perfectly combed hair. Both boys groan in annoyance but smile nonetheless. Their little group hug is short lives however when a stern voice freezes them on the spot.

“Do you have any idea how worried I was?!” Will’s voice booms from behind them a flashlight illuminating the guilty party.

“If we all take off he can’t catch us all.” Skylar whispers as Will advances on them. She’s seen her brother angry once before and it wasn’t pretty.

“Easy for you to say! I have to sleep in his room.” Isaac hisses his green eyes trained on the fuming Will. In reality the blonde boy was just relieved they were alright but angry that they have yet to return to the house.

“Good luck with that.” Nico grabs onto Skylar’s hand and instantly darkness surrounds her vision. The familiar nauseating feeling takes over before she finds herself landing atop her bed, Nico right beside her. They exchange a look before laughing amongst themselves. Surely they’d have the wrath of both Will and Isaac upon them tomorrow.

Letting out a yawn Skylar curls up on her bed her body facing Nico, not even bothering to change into her pajamas. “I think we should all ditch school tomorrow. We could laze around, eat ice cream and watch movies.” She mumbles her eyes drooping. Nico pulls the blanket over her placing a gentle kiss on his girlfriend’s forehead. Reaper curls up beside Skylar to rest for the night.

“We’ll see. Get some rest.” He whispers grabbing a few extra blankets and pillows to sleep on the bench beneath Skyla’s window. Bundling up under the covers he rests his head on the plush pillow allowing his body to be overcome with sleep.

“Meeting in the music room ten minutes!” Naomi yells throughout the house banging on the sibling’s doors waking up the whole house from their pleasant slumber. Nico grumbled shoving his head further under a pillow trying to block out the noise. Skylar opens her eyes blearily looking around the room.

“W-ha…?” She rubs her eyes focusing on the clock across the room. It read 10:00 AM. _Schist._ No wonder her mother was angrily beating against their doors. They overslept. Reaper leaves her side to cuddle up with Nico who somehow fell back asleep. Dragging herself out of bed she wanders over to her closet to retrieve some clothes and heads into the bathroom to get ready.

Across the hall Isaac rolls off his mattress onto the hard floor with a groan. Will rubs the sleep from his eyes letting out a yawn. They should of seen this coming. Mama Solace always knows everything going on in her house.

“Your mom sure is full of energy.” Isaac yawns turning his attention to the clock. “Oh no. We’re so dead.”

“Just get ready and get to the music room. I don’t want to see what happens if we’re late.” Will tells him tossing him some clothes and walking into the bathroom.

Skylar checks the time sighing when she finds Nico still sleeping. They only had five minutes left. Kneeling next to his cocoon of blankets Skylar locates his fluffy black hair. “Nico it’s time to get up.” She shakes him only to earn a disgruntled noise. “Come on Neeks.” Gripping the blankets she rips them off of him leaving him sleepily clutching at the air to retrieve them.

Feeling a gentle kiss press to his head he cracks an eye open to look at Skylar. “If it’s before noon I shouldn’t be awake Sky.” He mumbles in a slightly raspy voice trying to turn over.

“Yeah yeah I know but you need to get up. My mom wants to talk to us. Don’t make me drag you Neeks.” Skylar tells him, pulling his body into a sitting position. Nico rubs his eyes free of sleep as she leads him out the door and down the hall. Isaac and Will emerge from Will’s room following after them to the music room.

“Is your mom anything like Will when she’s upset?” Isaac questions rubbing his arm nervously.

“Where do you think he gets it from?” Skylar asks taking a seat on the piano bench allowing Nico to rest his head in her lap. Her fingers lightly comb through his obsidian locks. A faint blush coats his pale cheeks from the contact and he has to fight to stay awake.

“You two still aren’t off the hook.” Will tells his sister motioning to her and Nico with his hand. “My temper is nothing compared to Skylar when she’s angry. Our mom though...you’ll see.” Isac gulps sitting in a folding chair beside Will. Naomi enters the room shutting the door behind her. Any traces of her usual calm demeanor were now replaced with that of a stern parent.

“Have you children lost your minds?! Do you know how frantic I was last night after finding none of you in your beds? I’ve been very lenient on rules around here so you could get adjusted but now it seems I’ll have to come up with a few to keep you in check.” Ms. Solace frowns crossing her arms.

“I-I’m sorry Naomi I went for a walk and lost track of time. The others went looking for me when I didn’t return.” Isaac hangs his head trying to cover for the group.

“Oh no you don’t. Nico and I went off on our own so don’t blame Isaac mom. I wanted to clear my head so we went to the lake and shot some arrows.” Skylar chimes in with a sound of agreement coming from Nico.

“I went looking for them cause I was worried after the whole dinner incident but I didn’t realize the time. Sorry mom.” Will apologizes. Naomi pinches the bridge of her nose at the kids.

“I appreciate the honesty children and I want you to have a bit of freedom. It’s just been so dangerous lately and I’m worried you’ll be attacked or get lost. The last thing I need are angry parents breaking down my front door. Just please if you do go out leave a note and be home by eight.” She sighs taking a seat on a nearby stool. Dealing with two demi-gods was hard enough on her let alone two more. “You all even missed school today, thankfully it’s a Friday.” She shifts her attention over to Nico in particular.  “Nico dear if you’re planning on staying here for a longer period I’ll have to enroll you into school as well. Possibly get you some new clothes seeing as Will’s old ones still seem to hang off you.”

Skylar looks down at the son of Hades as he contemplates his answer. “I’m not sure I should...having a son of Hades around could draw in some unwanted attention. I’ll think about it. There’s something I need to do first.” Ms. Solace nods with a slight smile.

“Well I was planning on doing a bit of shopping in the city if it interests any of you. We can get a bit of breakfast and pick up a few things you may need.” She tells them before leaving the room. Reaper, who was obediently waiting by the door gave her a slight startle. “Honey please keep an eye on your cat. I’m afraid he’ll give me a heart attack one day.”

“Reaper’s harmless mom!” Skylar laughs lifting the cat into her lap after Nico sits up.

Isaac’s green eyes trained on the feline studying it. “So you just...reanimated someone’s dead cat and gave it to Skylar?”

“Reaper was a stray. Nobody wanted him in his former life so I gave him to someone who would in his next life.” Nico speaks running his fingers gently down the cat’s spine. He receives a chittering noise in return signalling Reaper enjoyed the affection.

“Another stray to add to the list Sky.” Will chuckles shaking his head. “First Nico, then Isaac, Elliot and now Reaper.”

Skylar shrugs standing and placing Reaper atop her head. “With every stray they eventually find a home no? Will would you mind helping Nico find some clothes? I think it would do us all a bit of good to head into the city.” With that Skylar makes her exit. She wanted to gather her arrows she shot last night. In the midst of talking to Isaac and running away from Will she forgot to retrieve them. Stopping first by her room she grabs her messenger bag gently placing Reaper inside. His little head pokes out the flap in order to look around. Patting his head gently she heads downstairs explaining to her mom where she’ll be. Walking out the door she starts down the dirt path singing a random song about kittens.

Will turns his attention to the son of Hades. “Well Neeks want to follow me and we’ll get you some fresh clothes?” The sandy-haired blond asks gesturing for him to come along.

“Don’t call me that.” Nico grumbled but followed anyway.

“How come Skylar can call you it but we can’t?” Isaac asks walking behind him.

“That’s...s-she’s an exception.” He mutters wrapping his arms around his body.

Will opens the bedroom door heading right for his closet. Isaac sits on his bed deciding to continue questioning Nico as he stood awkwardly by the door.

“So why is it you like Skylar?”

Nico blushes faintly at the question. He never had to answer that question before. “U-um well.”

“Careful on what you say Nico, she’s still my sister.” Will teases as he searches through the clothes for something suitable.

“Skylar was...the first one to really accept me when I arrived at camp. To most I was this annoying little kid obsessed with a card game. Her and Bianca were the only ones who understood me.” Nico begins.

“I remember that. You and Sky stayed up for hours one night as you explained the rules to her.” Will buts in tossing a few articles of clothing around.

“She was a fast learner. Still couldn’t beat me though. The more time I spent with her the more I realized I wanted her in my life. When Bianca died I...I felt I didn’t deserve to be happy so I pushed everyone away. Even now I…” Nico shakes his head. “A-anyway I never expected Skylar to forgive me but she did.” Nico finishes leaving a bunch of details out of his story wanting to keep it to himself.

Isaac nods at the new information. “So you weren’t always so...emo? Good to know.”

“Don’t make me cut you. I’ll make it look like an accident Mackenzie.” Nico’s chocolate brown eyes narrow at the brunet who raises his hands in surrender. Will drops a few pieces of clothing onto Nico’s head.

“Alright you two enough joking. Go on and get ready Neeks, mom and Skylar are probably waiting on us.” Will nudges him in the direction of the bathroom.

Scowling slightly at the nickname Nico closes the bathroom door to get ready. Naomi’s offer earlier weighed heavily on his mind. He could go to school, have a somewhat permanent home and people who didn’t shy away from him. On the other hand they could be put in danger. Children of the big three always drew unwanted attention. If he stayed Skylar and the rest would be at risk. There’s also that secret matter he had to attend to before deciding anything. Well, he had time to think it over another day. There wasn’t an expiration date after all. The son of Hades emerges from the bathroom freshly washed and in clean clothes. Nico was beginning to miss his jacket. Rubbing his arms he follows after Will and Isaac to the girls waiting downstairs. A piece of clothing is tossed into his face obstructing his vision.

“I know it’s not your trusty jacket but I figured you might want something.” Skylar’s voice reaches his ears as he removes the jacket from his head. Sliding his arms through it he gives her a shy nod of appreciation.

“You two are like an old married couple.” Will chuckles kneeling to tie his shoelaces.

“Alright kiddos let us be off.” Naomi ushers them out of the house locking the door behind them. Everyone piles into her car, Isaac and Will fighting for the front seat. Naomi rolls her eyes at the boys starting the car and beginning the trip. Will smirks triumphantly at Isaac from the front. Isaac sticks his tongue out toward the blond from his spot beside Skylar.

“Looks like we’re not the only two with chemistry ehh?” Skylar whispers to Nico with a wink. Nico lets out an uncharacteristic snort at her comment. A scarlet blush covers his ears and cheeks which he tries to hide with his hands. She lets out a giggle pressing a kiss to his head. Isaac who had overheard felt his cheeks warm at the comment. Will was just that cool guy everyone wanted to be friends with. That’s all...right? Shaking his head of the thought he brings his attention to look back out the window.


	19. Familiar Face

The ride only lasted about half an hour but in that time Skylar managed to tell five awful jokes, embarrass Nico by making hearts for him out of sunlight and recited a few of her father’s awful Haikus much to everyone’s despair. So when they finally stopped in the mall parking lot it was a relief. Naomi gives each of the kids a bit of money, although Isaac and Nico were hesitant, as they walked inside the large shopping center. First they would grab some lunch at the food court then do a bit of shopping. Skylar grabs Nico’s hand before they walk inside. Something’s been bugging her since they first got in the car.

“What does your sword look like to mortals?” She questions the dark-haired boy gesturing to the weapon clipped to his jeans.

“It tends to vary depending on how thick the mist is. I’m not really sure.” Nico shrugs.

“I see.” Tugging on his hand Skylar leads him back to the others who stopped to wait for them. She bites her bottom lip in thought. For now the mist should hide it and she couldn’t ask him to leave it in the car. Maybe she could use _that_ if needed but hoped it would not be required. It was still in the experimental phase. Her body moves slightly closer to Nico as the crowds around their small group starts to thicken. They maneuver through the surprisingly busy mall and arrive at the food court.

“It’s like the whole city is here today.” Isaac complains rubbing his side where someone accidentally elbowed him.

“There isn’t a holiday and it is a school day. Maybe there’s a big sale going on?” Will suggests as they get in line for some food.

“That could be. You kids stick together alright? I don’t want you getting separated.” Ms. Solace tells the kids. After finding out what everyone wanted she pays for the food and they snag a booth in the corner of the food court just big enough for them. Halfway through their meal Skylar notices Nico just poking at his barely touched food.

“If you don’t like it we can get you something else.” She nudges him gently nodding at his plate.

“No it’s fine I’m just not that hungry.” Nico mumbles pushing his plate away.

Skylar puffs out her cheeks in protest. “There’s no way you can’t be. You barely ate any dinner last night and missed breakfast.” She picks up his fork twirling a bit of pasta onto it and held it toward his mouth. “Now open up Ghost King.”

Nico’s cheeks flush and he turns his head away from the food. “S-Stop it. I told you I’m not hungry.”

“Nico. Eat the food or so help me I’ll have Will hold you down and force feed you.” Skylar’s expression hardens, her blue eyes darting to her brother then back to Nico.

“Honey you can’t just force someone to eat something they don’t want.” Naomi calmly tells her daughter from across the table.

“Y-Yeah. Ms. Solace is right you can’t.” Nico tells Skylar crossing his arms over his chest. Her blue eyes twinkle at the now issued challenge. She moves close to Nico leaning her face dangerously closer to his.

“Challenge accepted.”

That ladies and gentlemen is how Ni di Angelo learned how forceful the Solace twins could be together.

Naomi tells the kids to have fun while she caught up with a friend. They agree to meet up at the fountain in two hours before parting ways. Grumbling to himself Nico trudged behind Isaac and the Solace twins. After the events that transpired at lunch he refused to walk anywhere near Skylar or Will. Instead he chose to walk by himself. His chocolate brown eyes watched the other shoppers walking by, his hands shoved deep into his jacket pockets. He hated crowds. They made him feel trapped. Why anyone would willingly walk through herds of people to buy clothes he’d never understand. What happened to the good old family markets where everyone knew each other by first names?

Skylar was going through a similar situation not too far away from him. Her hand unknowingly reaches out to grip the back of her brother’s shirt. Will glances back at her, his eyes softening in realization. He motions for Isaac to follow as he leads Skylar to an area with less people. His sister’s breathing became faster. Being around a large group of campers was one thing. Walking through a mall full of strangers was another. She couldn’t shake the feeling a monster could attack at any moment. Things had been too quiet since they left for camp. No monster sightings whatsoever.  

“Sky, just breathe.” Will whispers placing his hands on her shoulders. He mimics the breathing exercises they learned from reading medical books. Skylar slowly begins to follow along breathing in sync with him. “Easy...good.”  

“What’s going on?” Nico asks having noticed the trio stopped.

“Skylar doesn’t do well in large crowds. She’s usually fine walking close to someone but with this many people…” The son of Apollo trails off focusing back on his sister. Her breathing began to even out but her ocean eyes still looked frantic. Nico steps up beside Will placing a hand under her chin and shifting her focus onto him.

“Thinking about it will only cause you to panic further. Focus on me. Listen to my voice. I won’t let anything happen to you.” He tells her sternly. Skylar nods slightly at the son of Hades. Lightly tapping Will’s hand with her own she silently thanks him.

“I-I’m okay.” Her voice comes out quiet. Nico laces his fingers with hers giving them a gentle squeeze. He may still be mad about earlier but she needed support.

“How about we head into a store? Maybe doing a bit of shopping will distract you.” Isaac’s green eyes light up at the chance to buy a few new items. Will agrees and they set off into a clothing store Isaac insisted they visit. Instantly Isaac goes over to a rack of clothing filled with nothing but knitted sweaters. Will sets his sights on a table with folded tank tops but glances back at Skylar.

“You sure you’re alright? If it gets to be too much we can just find mom and head home.” He frowns his eyebrows furrowed.

“I’m fine Will. If anything happens I have Nico with me. Go ahead and look around.” Skylar shooed him away walking to inspect a few blouses that caught her eye. In reality she hated having them worry about her. She thought she was over her crowd anxiety but the gods had other plans apparently. Shifting through the different colored shirts she tries striking up a conversation with Nico.

“I’m sure you’re still mad about me forcing you to eat but I have something to give you when we get home.” Nico acknowledges her words but chooses not to say anything. Pulling a few articles of clothing off the rack she drapes them over her arm with the intent to purchase them.

“Come on Nico. I’m just worried about your health. You’re basically just skin and bones at this point.” She prods his cheek gently with her finger.

“Has it ever crossed your mind that maybe I don’t want your help? Just a minute ago you were a step away from a panic attack. Worry about yourself for once in your life!” His voice raises slightly drawing the attention of a few shoppers.

“Ahh...right sorry. I’ll just go pay for these. Be right back.” Skylar trudges away leaving Nico to internally kick himself.

“Nice going Nico you just yelled at your girlfriend for caring about you.” He mutters moving to wait by the entrance for Skylar to return. A few minutes pass by and instead of the blonde girl he’s greeted by Isaac and Will both holding shopping bags.

“Yo Nico, you didn’t find anything?” Isaac questions looking at his empty hands. Nico shakes his head glancing back into the store for any sign of Skylar.

“Sis is still shopping huh? We’re gonna head across to the shoe store if you guys want to meet us there.” Will points to a shoe store not too far away from them. The son of Hades gives him a slight nod indicating he would. Isaac tugs Will toward the store rambling about how he saw sneakers with his favorite video game characters in the window.

Nico shuts his eyes groaning to himself. He should be out finding answers about his mother not galavanting around a shopping mall like a bunch of teenage girls. No offense to his girlfriend intended. So far he had no leads on what happened to her and his father was no help. Even the memories of his departed mother were too foggy to even comprehend. Talking to Bianca gave him no new information. She only told him to give up on finding the answer. It’s almost as if something or someone didn’t want him to find the truth.

“Neeks? Hey Nico!” Skylar calls snapping her fingers in front of his face. She’d been standing in front of him for a few minutes now trying to get his attention. Whatever he was thinking about had his full attention. _Well, drastic measures it is._ Leaning down slightly she presses her lips against his feeling him jolt from the sudden contact. Pulling away she rests her forehead on his watching as he comes back to earth. His cheeks flare up at the public display of affection.

“S-sky? When d-did you get back?” Nico stutters.

“A few minutes ago. You were way deep in thought so I did the only thing I could think of to snap you out of it. Everything okay?”

“Just tired. What took you so long in there?” He raises an eyebrow at her as she begins to fidget.

“I-I just had to put a few things back. Where’d Will and Isaac run off to?” Her blue eyes look around.

“They went to the shoe store over there.” Nico points. Skylar follows his finger setting her sights across the way. Releasing a small hum she starts off in that direction swinging her shopping bag in one hand. The dark-haired boy follows after linking their pinky fingers together. She steers them both to a small store on the corner filled to the brim with everything a nerd could ever want. Nico’s eyes light up at the sight of Mythomagic cards picking up a box in his hand and reading the back.

“Hm? What ya got there?” Skylar reads over his shoulder. “Mythomagic?”

“It contains a limited edition deck along with three ultra rare cards and the Titan expansion deck. I’ve heard of it but never actually seen it before.” Nico says awestruck but shakes his head placing the box back on the shelf. That was all in the past. He didn’t have time for games anymore when he was basically living it.

“You’re not going to get it?”

“No. Can we just get out of here?” He asks shoving his hands in his pockets nodding toward the entrance.

“In a second I saw something over here I really want.” Skylar bolts away weaving down the aisles bustling with merchandise and out of site. Nico sighs choosing to look at some action figures from a science fiction show he’s never heard of before. Making sure Nico isn’t anywhere near the Mythomagic section Skylar doubles back around picking up the box he’d been eyeing and sets it on the counter.

“That’ll be $85.69.” The store clerk dressed in a superhero shirt tells the young girl. Retrieving her wallet she counts out the dollar bills combining her money with what her mother gave her. _Ninety. I won’t have much left for anything else but Nico’s worth it._ Skylar slides the money over the counter and receives her change. The employee hands her the bag which she shoves into her bag along with the clothes she bought. Reaper lets out a displeased hiss before settling atop the merchandise.

“Sorry boy, it’ll be a bit of a tight squeeze.” She whispers thanking the employee and meeting up with Nico. “Alright, you ready to go?”

“I’ve been ready since we walked in.”

Rolling her blue eyes at him she links arms with the protesting son of Hades heading off to the shoe store. Upon walking inside they didn’t expect to see Isaac arguing with a salesperson over a pair of sneakers. Not just any sneakers. These had a cartoon dinosaur with a large nose plastered all over them in various colors. Will stood off to the side his face pressed into the palm of his hand. How this nerdy brunet became his friend he’d never understand.

“He’s been ranting about them not giving him his beloved Yoshi, whatever that is, since we got in here.” Will sighs dejectedly as Nico and Skylar walk over.

“Is that what the cute dinosaur on the shoes in the window are called? I’d be upset too if they took him away from me.” Skylar snickers.

Her brother gives her a look saying ‘you’re not helping.’ “Just help me get him out of the store before they call security.”

“Aye sir.” Making sure nobody is watching them she conjures a thin stream of light identical to fishing line. Flicking her hand she loops it into one of Isaac’s belt loops. “Gotcha.” Gripping the string in her fingers she begins to walk backwards slowly dragging a bewildered Isaac with her.

“I’m so sorry about our friend.” Will rubs the back of his neck nervously dashing out of the store with Nico. Skylar continues pulling Isaac with her until they reach a secluded corner.

“Let me go! I want my Yoshi sneakers!” Isaac huffs struggling against her.

“They’re just shoes! Get ahold of yourself.” Skylar grunts digging her heels into the carpet. The scene reminded her of the kids she used to see on leashes being lead around by their parents. She releases the line allowing Isaac to stumble forward and kiss the ground. The son of Aphrodite lets out a groan of pain.

“Oops. My hand slipped.” Nico smiles faintly at the sight while Will wants nothing more than to just go home.

“I should've read a book at home. All this over a dinosaur.” He muttered exasperatedly throwing his hands in the air. Isaac sits up rubbing his sore face grumbling about how all he wanted were a pair of damn shoes but the saleslady wouldn’t sell it to him. Something about him smelling weird.

Skylar freezes on the spot. “Isaac. What did you just say?”

“That she wouldn’t sell me the sneakers? She was being a bi-”

“After that! Something about your smell?” Skylar interrupts.

“Oh, that. She said I reaked and wouldn’t sell me anything. The nerve of some people! I mean come on I showered this morning. I’m as fresh as you can get thank you very much.” Isaac pouts.

“We need to go. Now.” Nico urges his eyes landing on a group of men in uniform slipping in and out of the crowd. Their faces began to twitch morphing into that of a creature’s.

“You don’t need to tell us twice.” Will begins to walk at a brisk pace the other three following after him. Nico drew his sword startling a few people into moving out of their path. Removing the ring on her finger, Skylar grips Spitfire in her right hand. Digging toward the bottom of her bag she produces three arrows notching one and gripping two between her teeth. Don’t ask how she managed to fit so many things into this bag. It was basically like a black hole.

“We need to find Naomi and get out of here!” Isaac shouts as the group begins to sprint.

Skylar releases one arrow into a man’s head that transformed into a cyclops. Nico slashes at it turning it into gold dust. That only angers a few more monsters into running toward them. Pandemonium began to break out around them as mortals panicked trying to flee from the fighting. More monsters began to morph out of their disguises in pursuit of the demigods. They run as fast as their legs can carry them rushing outside the mall with those trying to escape.

They take a minute to catch their breath on the side of the building. Skylar walks over to Will relinquishing Spitfire to him along with the remaining arrows she stuffed into her bag. Her brother looks at her questionably.

“We need to split up that way we can find mom faster. I’ll act as a decoy and catch up to you guys when I can.” She tells him glancing back at the mall doors. Monsters slowly began to trickle out mixing in with the panicking mortals. Her hands began to glow as power surged through her.

“I won’t just leave you here!” Will shouts grabbing ahold of her arm. They needed to split up to cover more ground and locate their mom. He understood that all too well. Skylar was trusting him with the only solid weapon at their disposal leaving herself only with her photokinetic abilities. It just wasn’t sitting well with him. His sister didn’t have unlimited power. At some point it will diminish and when it does...

“Do as I say William!” Skylar demands running out of their hiding spot to grab the monster’s attention. Her brother goes to follow only to be intercepted by Nico.

“Go. I’ll stay and help her. ” Nico summons a small army of undead and following after Skylar. Isaac looks uncertainly from Will to the fight. His battle axe now clutched in his hands.

“Will we need to go. They’ll be fine, this isn’t their first fight.” He tugs on Will’s arm gesturing to another entrance into the mall. Will nods slightly running with Isaac in search of Naomi.

Letting loose a ball of concentrated light Skylar gains a bit of distance between her and the momentarily blinded monsters. Right after she impales a dracaenae through the chest with a shard of energy watching her turn into dust. Skeleton warriors rush past her assaulting the remaining disoriented beasts drawing her attention to Nico who was slashing his way to her.

“What are you doing here?” She asks throwing glowing knives into the eye of a cyclops.

“As if I’d let you throw yourself into danger alone.” Nico grunts deflecting an attack.

“I just don’t understand where they came from. Unless...no there’s no way he found us.” Skylar’s eyes widen.

“Sky pay attention!” Nico jumps in front of her running his sword through an Empousa. She lets out a loud shriek before disintegrating. Skylar gathers a large mass of sunlight into her hands. Releasing it into the air it solidifies into spears destroying any remaining monsters. Grabbing Nico’s hand they head back into the mall in search of her mother.

“I hope Will and Isaac found mom before he does.” The look on her face was tense

“Who’s here? Do you know something about this?” Nico presses as they run.

“Dustin! He’s been searching for Isaac ever since his first attempt to kill him ended in failure. This is really bad.” Skylar peeks around from behind a pillar surveying the area. Shoppers were still evacuating but there weren’t any sign of monsters. Swallowing the bile rising in her throat they press on weaving through the crowd. _Don’t panic, you need to find them._

“What’s so dangerous about one demigod?”

“Charmspeak.” Was her blunt response as they turn the corner skidding to a halt at the towering fountain before them. Perched at the top was the platinum blond himself. Nico pushes Skylar behind him to shield her from the demigod sneering down at them. Two hellhounds stood at attention beside him rivaling Mrs. O’Leary in size. Two bodies lay by his feet. Will and Naomi Solace. Isaac was nowhere to be found. Skylar’s bow was discarded glowing faintly in the fountain’s water.

“So nice of you two to join us. It saves me the trouble of hunting you down.” Dustin smirks rising to his feet and pulling Will up halfway by his hair. Her brother lets out a defeated groan. Skylar’s eyes flare up with hatred at the sight. “Such a pity. I was hoping he’d put up more of a fight.”

“You’ll pay for laying a hand on my brother.” Skylar growls readying an attack.

Laughter echoes through the room as the baby blue-eyed boy stares down at her. “By all means give it your best shot.” He smirked tossing Will to the side.

“With pleasure.” Fueled by anger Skylar charges in without much thought. A total contrast to how she usually fights in battle. Any and all rational thinking had gone out the window replaces by the hatred building within her that she harbored for Dustin. Moving her left hand in a wide ark she summons a barrage of knife-like objects impaling one of the hellhounds and jumping atop the outer rim of the fountain. The hellhound howls in pain falling onto it’s side and exploding into fine powder.

“Skylar no!!” Nico yells rushing after her. Dustin laughs at how foolish she is watching as his last remaining hellhound leaps from the stone platform slamming the girl into the floor. Pain flared down her spine. Skylar grunts trying to free herself from under the animal’s large paws.

“Did you actually think I would allow you anywhere near me? Toss your weapon into the fountain son of Hades or I shall order the beast to rip out her throat.” The platinum blonde paces the edge of the fountain. Anger courses through Nico at the Hellhound’s jaw drawing closer to Skylar’s neck. It’s jaw opening and snapping shut, taunting him.

“Nico don’t do it!” Skylar yelps. The hellhound’s claws dig deeper into her body, its jagged teeth dangerously close to her skin.

Fuming, Nico throws his sword into the fountain watching as it sinks to the bottom. He’s forced to his knees by a demigod servant of Dustin’s, a knife held to his throat. Five monsters varying from a cyclops to a telekhine surround them. They walked right into an ambush. Played right into Dustin’s hands.


	20. Duel

Nervous hands ran through wavy brown hair. The young boy peeked out from his hiding spot of the sight of his friends being held captive. _Man up they’re counting on you._ Swallowing his nerves Isaac tries to signal Skylar or Nico without drawing too much attention to himself. He could handle Dustin himself it was the two demigod lackeys and five monsters that worried him. Positioning his axe a certain way in the light he shines the reflection near Skylar’s face hoping she’d glance his way.

“The stage is set, now all we need is the main event. Isaac Mackenzie I challenge you to a duel! Your friends lives are at stake. Will you continue to be a coward or face me in combat?!” Dustin boasts throwing his hands into the air.

“H-He’s not a coward you *cough* bastard!” Skylar wheezes.

“Are you sure about that? Then why is it he abandoned your brother to save himself? Leaving him and your mother to die by my hand.” Dustin cackles twirling a Gladius in his hand.

“I may not always see eye to eye with him but I know Isaac wouldn’t leave his friends for dead.” Nico’s voice comes out raspy. The knife presses deeper to his throat drawing a small amount of blood.

Isaac wouldn’t do that. Nico and Skylar were certain of that. Blinking a few times in annoyance Skylar moves her head carefully to the right. Blue eyes fill with relief at the sight of Isaac. Wordlessly he points at the monsters making an explosion motion with his hands then gestures to Dustin making a slicing gesture across his neck. He vanishes behind a pillar right after to stay hidden until the right moment. Faintly smirking to herself Skylar wiggles her fingers siphoning all her remaining energy into the ground below. At the most she could wipe out the remaining monsters for Isaac giving him the space he needs to get Dustin. Nico had one last wave of dead soldiers before he reached his limit. He could handle the remaining two demigods. If they combined their powers they could clear out Dustin’s remaining forces and allow Isaac to take over.

“Since you’re going to kill us don’t we get one final wish?” Skylar asks Dustin pausing his pacing.

“Why should I give you cretins anything?” He hisses glaring down at the daughter of Apollo.

“Not all of us are gonna be let into Elysium so I’d like to say goodbye. I won’t try anything you’re holding my mom, brother, and boyfriend hostage. I can’t risk them getting hurt.” She urges further praying to the gods above he would be idiotic enough to allow it. Isaac changed positions ducking behind a trash can not too far from the fountain. From that position he could get to Dustin easily if the monsters on guard were cleared first.

The demigod holding Nico hostage looks to Dustin for an answer. Surely he wouldn’t fall for such a simple trick. “Sir, we can’t let either of them go it’s a trick!” He pleads with the son of Aphrodite.

“Just two minutes. Then kill them all.” Ignoring the advice of his subordinate he waves his hand at the hellhound telling it to stand aside. It growls in defiance but releases its prey. The demigod removes the knife away from Nico’s neck prodding his back with it instead. He could feel the point of the blade cut through the fabric of his borrowed jacket.

Skylar struggles to her feet clutching her shoulder as warm liquid slowly drips from it. Shuffling over to Nico she kneels to his level. She presses her warm lips against his in a long kiss. Chocolate brown eyes close tightly savoring the feeling. Pulling away, Skylar whispers a few words against his lips. His emotions were going into overdrive as she stood to her feet turning to face a triumphant Dustin. He wanted to stop her to drag her back to him and forget the whole thing. If their plan didn’t work she’d be sure to haunt Dustin for all eternity. Taking a few steps forward she kneels before the son of Aphrodite. The hellhound that previously pinned her keeping a close eye on her. It’s growling sent a shiver up her spine.

“I tried to figure out the reason why you did all this you know? Some logical reason as to why you betrayed camp. Too bad you’re just a self-centered ego maniac that is so power hungry he has to kill his own siblings to get dear old mom to notice him.” Dustin flares up at this ordering his few remaining followers to kill her. Isaac rushes from his hiding spot at the same moment Skylar puts their plan into action.

“Don’t mess with my family asshole!” Slamming her hands onto the ground a large mass of light energy explodes disintegrating the few remaining monsters that closed in on her. The sound reverberated through the large area shaking free pieces of the stone fountain. A yell of pain fills the air as the demigod holding Nico flails his leg around releasing the son of Hades by accident. Reaper lets out angry hissing noises gripping tighter onto the demigod’s skin. Nico mutters a few words summoning four undead soldiers two of which drag away his previous captor to dispose of him. Reaper jumps onto his shoulder nuzzling his neck.

“Good boy.” Nico praises scratching the cat’s head. The other two undead zero in on the last remaining pawn of Dustin’s. His screams piercing through the air followed by silence. Satisfied, Nico crawls over to Skylar who collapsed on her side. Smoke billowed in small streams from hs body. Half-lidded brown eyes look to her exhaustion hitting him like a train.

“S-Sky?” He whispers faintly teetering on the edge of unconsciousness. His hand grips hers lightly falling beside her on the ground.

“Neeks...we did it...”Coughing she squeezes Nico’s hand before falling unconscious. Faint particles of light were coming from her singed clothing. Blood seeped through her once yellow t-shirt dying it crimson. The smell of copper lingered in the air around them. Nico forces himself to stay awake only for more and more black dots to dance across his vision. Finally giving in his body hits the carpet, brown eyes closing fully.

A battle axe slams into the ground beside Dustin startling him. His body whips around, Gladius in hand coming face to face with Isaac. It looked like he’d get the duel he wanted after all. Getting into a defensive position Isaac’s green eyes harden. His opponent wouldn’t hold back so he’d have to give it his all. Laughter comes from Dustin as he twirls his blade in his hand.

“I’m going to relish your demise Isaac Mackenzie. Your screams shall fill the air and I’ll deliver your blood drained corpse to the Olympian’s doorstep!” He cackles making the first move. The glinting two-toned blade slices at his opponent’s midsection. Isaac brings his axe up to block the rapid slashes the loud clanging of metal on metal filling the air.

“You’re insane! Mother never would of wanted you to end up like this! The Titan King has brainwashed you!” Isaac grunts pushing all his weight against Dustin’s. Their weapons separate long enough for Isaac to roll out of the way of another slash.

“Shut up! I don’t want to hear what you have to say!” The blue-eyed boy seethes cutting Isaac in his cheek. Letting out a hiss of pain the brunet swings his axe under Dustin’s feet. The platinum blond jumps back narrowly missing the attack. He growls running at the younger boy with a battle cry practically slashing and stabbing at him. Isaac desperately dodges what he can and blocks most of the rest. A few jabs slice through his clothing leaving shallow cuts on his arms and torso. He ducks landing a kick to Dustin’s chest knocking him back a few feet.

“Have it your way then. I just wish things could've been different.” Vibrant green eyes seem to glow as he charges at the traitor.

“S-stop where you are! You don’t have the power to defy me!” Dustin shouts putting all his power into his voice. Isaac stops in his tracks, his face emotionless. The platinum blond sighs in relief believing he finally won. He’d get revenge on his mother once and for all. For all the years she pretended he didn’t exist. All the heartache, pain and suffering he endured in the sixteen years of his life. Smirking to himself brings his sword down on Isaac. The brunet blocks, sweeping his leg out to knock Dustin off his feet. Stumbling backwards his blue eyes look up at Isaac in shock.

“You see, there’s something you seem to of forgotten. Charmspeak only works if the one you’re using it on isn’t aware. I won’t allow you to bully me any longer. You’ve hurt my friends, the ones I love for the last time. Goodbye Dustin.” Isaac raises his battle axe, his green eyes intense.

“W-what?! That’s impossible!” He shrieks as the blade is brought down slicing through the air. Silence falls over the venue. The weapon met its mark.

Will groans sitting up and clutching his head. He felt as if a pegasus trampled his body. Sky blue eyes look around taking in the wreckage surrounding him. Gold dust coated the carpeted floor. Not too far from the fountain the ground had an enormous crack running through it. Next to him his mother lay unconscious. Worried he checks her for major injuries only finding a good sized welt on her head. Fighting the pain in his skull he sings a hymn to his father reducing the swelling significantly. Light blue eyes flutter open drinking in the appearance of Will. Naomi sits up clutching her son to her chest. Tears fall from her eyes as she whispers into his hair.

“Oh my precious boy. I’m so glad you’re safe.”

Isaac climbs up to him wincing at the bruises coating the blonde’s arms and face. “Hey man...I need your help.”

“I-Isaac...what happened? I remember we found my mom but then we were ambushed. It’s all a little fuzzy after that.” Will mumbles as his mother releases him. Her eyes held concern for her children’s safety.

“I’ll explain later just come on.” The green-eyed boy urges, walking off. Will follows obediently clutching his side.

“Where are Nico and Skylar?” His blue eyes search the area landing on two bodies lying beside each other. Dread filled his stomach crossing the floor to reach his sister and friend. “Sky?” He whispers turning her over. Her clothes had scorch marks and faint glowing particles stuck to them. Pressing an ear to her chest he detects a faint heartbeat. _Thank gods._ A gash on her shoulder coated his hand in sticky crimson liquid. She needed Nectar, Ambrosia, anything. His blue eyes shift to Nico who didn’t fare any better. Obsidian locks shielded half his face. Faint wisps of black smoke rose from his body. A sign that he used too much of his power.

“You can’t heal them in your state. It’ll kill you. S-should we go to a hospital? Can you even carry her?” Isaac stutters not knowing what to do.

Will nods thinking for a minute. He wanders over to the fountain retrieving Nico’s sword stuffing it into Skylar’s discarded bag. Turning Spitfire back into a ring he pockets it. Lifting his sister into his arms he turns to his mother. Her hands were covering her mouth in horror.

“Mom do you think you’ll be able to drive? They need to get home now. We...we can’t go to a hospital.” His voice wavers slightly looking down at Skylar.

“Y-yes. I’ll get the car. Meet me outside.” Naomi tells the boys picking up Skylar’s bag and rushing out of the nearest entrance into the parking lot.

Isaac hoists Nico into his arms frowning when he doesn’t get any form of a response from the young boy. He and Will book it outside to meet Ms. Solace. A cherry red Sedan screeches to a halt in front of them. Naomi jumps out of the driver’s seat opening the doors allowing them to place the unconscious duo inside. Onlookers remaining at the mall watched in surprise while others spoke with police about what transpired inside. It was no doubt they would try to be stopped from leaving but they had to press on. For both Skylar and Nico’s sakes. Once inside the car Ms. Solace slams on the gas peeling out of the parking lot and back home.


	21. Recollection

As soon as the car stopped moving Will was shouting orders. They laid the two unconscious demigods across the dining room table. Ms. Solace retrieved their emergency medical supplies varying from mortal medicine to godly items such as Ambrosia and Nectar. Isaac pours the Nectar into two small glasses. He props Nico up carefully pouring the liquid into his mouth. The son of Hades swallows his chocolate brown eyes fluttering halfway open. The wispy smoke surrounding his body vanishes. Ms. Solace cleans the small cut on his neck wrapping a bandage around it. Isaac lays Nico back down gently to go assist Will. The blonde was moving swiftly in silence eyes darting all over the materials at his disposal.

Munching on a square of Ambrosia, Will cuts open part of Skylar’s shirt to begin cleaning the wound on her shoulder. Dousing a cloth in water he wipes away most of the dried blood. Blue eyes narrow at the claw mark made from a hellhound. It wasn’t too deep but it would need stitches. Preparing the equipment he instructs Isaac and his mother to hold Skylar down. She could wake up in the middle of this and moving around would only make it hurt more. Washing his hands and slipping on rubber gloves he takes a deep breath. Threading the proper needle he cleanses the area with alcohol. A faint hiss escapes his sister but she doesn’t wake up.

“Three...two...one…” The son of Apollo inserts the needle into the skin pulling it through the other end. Skylar jolts awake with a strangled scream. Her blue eyes look around frightened. Isaac and Naomi hold her firmly against the table as she fights against Will. Nico, now awake grips her hand in his running his thumb gently across the back. She squeezes back with enough force to almost break his hand.

“Skylar it’s alright sweetheart! You must stay still!” Ms. Solace tells her daughter. Will bites his lip trying to go as fast as he can without messing up the stitching. Trying to silence her screams Skylar bites down on a piece of torn fabric from her shirt. Tears pour from her eyes. About three quarters of the way Skylar passes out partially from the pain but mostly due to exhaustion. She used up all her power in that last attack to vanquish the monsters.

Will’s blue eyes stay focused on the task until he ties off the end, severing the remaining thread with a pair of scissors. Examining his work he asks his helpers to prop Skylar up so he can wrap her in bandages. Once she’s fully taken care of they put her to rest on the couch in the living room. Nico remains by her side sitting on the floor clutching her hand. His head leans against the piece of furniture closing his eyes but not sleeping.

Sky blue eyes shift from his sibling to the brunet now slumping against the wall. “Isaac?!” Worried he helps the boy to sit in a chair setting to work on his injuries. Blood soaked through his pale blue shirt. Lifting the fabric carefully over Isaac’s head he frowns at all the gashes littering his torso. They weren’t deep enough for stitches but still needed to be disinfected and covered with bandages.

“Dustin really got me huh..? Sorry man.” Green eyes look at Will slightly unfocused. The son of Apollo has him eat a square of Ambrosia while he works on disinfecting all the small wounds. Isaac winces slightly at the burning sensation.

“If it weren’t for you we all would of been goners. You’re a hero Isaac don’t apologize for that. Just be more careful.” Will mutters wrapping the boy’s torso in white gauze. He was relieved to see the son of Aphrodite in one piece. Before getting knocked out by a cyclops he lost sight of Isaac in the turmoil and feared for his safety. Whatever transpired while he was unconscious seemed to be a major ordeal given the state he found Skylar and Nico in.

“You’re incredible Will.” The words catch the son of Apollo off guard. Sky blue eyes lock onto hunter green orbs. He studies the brunet’s eyes noticing how one is a shade lighter than the other from his injury acquired at the Battle of the Labyrinth. Will unknowingly reaches out and gingerly caresses Isaac’s right cheek. His blue eyes focus on the boy’s right eye.

“Part of your sight is gone.” Will whispers. He pulls away, cheeks blazing after he realizes what he did. “I-I’m so sorry!” Sputtering an apology he waves his hands in front of his face. Ms. Solace who was sitting not too far from them watched the boys with a knowing smile. She leaves the room to check on Skylar and Nico giving the boys some privacy.

Isaac coughs covering half his face with his hand and turns away. A warm feeling tugged at his heart, his cheeks a crimson red. “I-it’s cool. I can still see out of it, things are just a little fuzzy.” He leans back in the chair fanning his face and closing his eyes.

“Can you tell me what happened at the mall?” Will questions, busying his hands with putting away the medical supplies.

“We found your mom but we walked right into an ambush. A cyclops...attacked you. You did what you could to fend it off but he hit you in the head. When you didn’t get back up I….gods Will I thought you were dead.” Isaac pauses taking a shaky breath. “I-I didn’t know what to do so I went into hiding. Skylar and Nico showed up shortly after trying to fight the ring leader. Dustin.” Will’s eyebrows shoot up at this.

“He was basically holding you and your mom hostage. Skylar got furious and took out one of his hellhounds before being detained by the other. That’s how she got the gash on her shoulder. It was like she was seeing red. I’ve never seen her so...ruthless.” Isaac fiddles with the locket around his neck. “Nico was forced to surrender or have the hound rip out her throat. I had a plan to get to Dustin but there were monsters in the way. Your sister managed to convince him to let her go pretending to say goodbye to Nico when she was really drawing everyone’s attention to her like she wanted. I snuck around to get into position and all hell broke loose from there. She used what was left of her energy to disintegrate the monsters. Nico sent the demigods to I’m assuming the Underworld and I had a duel with Dustin.” He finishes not looking up at Will.

“Did you...kill him?” The blond questions sitting in a chair across from Isaac. It falls silent in the room for a while as Isaac contemplates his choice of words. His companion waits patiently no judgement showing on his face whatsoever. Whatever Isaac decided to do he would support. Dustin was the one trying to end his life. It was only right.

“I wanted to. I wanted nothing more than to end his life with a swing of my blade after all he put us through.” He mutters looking down at his hands. “But I couldn’t. So I knocked him out and handcuffed him to a trashcan. At the most he’ll be blamed for whatever the news comes up with on what transpired in the mall.” Will wordlessly pulls the brunet into a hug. Isaac sniffles burying his face into Will’s neck. Finally he could breathe a sigh of relief. Nobody was threatening to kill him and he was powering through his own demons that plagued his mind. All thanks to his friends.

Naomi draped a throw blanket across Nico’s shoulders placing another over her daughter who lay fast asleep. Chocolate brown eyes focus on the kind woman giving her a polite nod. A sudden thought comes to his mind and he sits up to address it.

“I-I just realized I never asked for your permission t-to date your daughter.” He stutters nervously. In the time he was born it was custom to ask the parents of a girl for permission. That’s what his sister had taught him. Ms. Solace let out a pleasant laugh kneeling down to Nico’s level.

“Sweetheart I appreciate you asking. You’ve already proven yourself worthy of dating my little girl. Just as long as you don’t hurt her or you’ll have the wrath of Apollo to deal with as well as mama Solace.” She warns but kisses his hair nonetheless.

He nods slightly turning back to face the sleeping blonde. Her curly hair framed her face falling out of the ponytail she placed it in just this morning. Quiet noises escaped her lips every once and awhile. Resting the back of his hand against her forehead he frowns at how warm it is. Naomi notices this as well and leaves the room to fetch a cold towel and some medicine.

“Sky...I don’t know if you can hear me but I’ll be leaving soon. There’s something I still need to do and I hope you’ll understand.” His fingers squeeze hers gently. “How am I supposed to keep up with your crazy ideas?” He lets out a hollow laugh gently pressing a kiss to her fingers. Part of him was glad she wasn’t awake of he’d be as red as a tomato. Reaper hops onto the couch beside Skylar snuggling up to her under the blanket.

“You’re an idiot Skylar Solace.” Nico sighs turning to look out the window. The wind picked up outside rustling the green leaves of the oak trees. Storm clouds were beginning to roll in painting the sky in a murky gray.

“I thought we established that...I’m your idiot.” A hoarse voice chuckles from behind. Nico snaps his attention back to the sofa where Skylar laid a small smile dancing on her lips. Her ocean blue eyes looked tired but relieved. The corners of his mouth turned up at the sight. Leaning up he places a shy kiss to her temple. She made some questionable decisions sometimes that will one day get her killed. For now he’d relish the time he’s able to spend with her. After all, they were demigods, they needed to live each day like it was their last.

Three days passed since the brawl at the mall. Skylar was bedridden per ‘doctor’s orders’ as Will liked to put it. In that time she barely used her left arm much to her annoyance. Being as she did almost everything with her left hand it was torture. Nico was also under bed rest after Will caught him trying to shadow travel and sentenced him to three days stuck in bed. Finally the duo were allowed to move around just in time to head back to school. But first, there was somebody’s birthday they wanted to celebrate.

Setting up the prism atop the kitchen table Skylar maneuvers it in the sunlight. Positioning it just so a rainbow spreads through the air. Reciting the incantation she throws a Drachma into the stream requesting the address of her friend. Slowly the messy bedhead and sea foam green eyes of Percy Jackson come into view. He was sitting at the breakfast table munching some cereal. Not too far away his mother stood talking to him as she washed dishes. Skylar counts down from three pulling Isaac and her brother into view. Nico refused opting to sit in the living room until they were done.

“HAPPY BIRTHDAY PERCY!” The trio cheers loudly startling the older boy into falling off his chair. Mrs. Jackson lets out a startled sound dropping the dish she was holding back into the sink. They both look around for the source of the noise eyes falling onto the Iris Message.

“You guys almost gave me a heart attack.” Percy chuckles getting back into his chair. “Thanks for remembering. Wish you all could be here to celebrate.”

“Well we can have a late party back at camp if ya want.” Isaac grins.

“Sky and I could provide the music.” Will offers. “But mostly Sky.”

Skylar gathered a bit of sunlight into her fingers pressing it into a concentrated ball. Once she has enough she tosses it into the air letting it explode like a firework. Percy’s eyes widen at the sight.

“Whoa Skylar I didn’t know you could control light!” He says awestruck.

“Oh yeah, I found out a while ago. Oops?” She shrugs with a smile. “Pretty soon we’ll be calling you grandpa around camp waterboy. You’re getting old.”

“I’m not that old!”

“Alright you two we need to wrap it up or we’ll miss our bus. Have a great birthday Percy.” Will gives him a heart warming smile and leaves the room.

“Yeah and say hi to Annabeth for us.” Isaac winks bounding after Will. Laughter spilling from his lips.

Percy flushes a faint pink muttering to himself. “How did he know…?”

Giggling Skylar sets off another small firework. “Stay safe and we’ll see you next summer. Happy Birthday waterboy.”

“Thanks Sky, I’ll look forward to it. Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do!”

“Seeing as you almost erupted a volcano that’s not great advice. See ya.”

“Don’t be sassy that’s my job. Bye Skylar.” Waving her hand through the message she dismisses it. Walking into the next room she joins the awaiting group.

“We all chipped in and packed a bag for you. It’s got a fresh change of clothes, a bit of money, a few drachmas and some snacks. There’s also some reading material if you find yourself with a bit of down time. Don’t be a stranger alright di Angelo?” Skylar smiles handing the son of Hades a backpack. He accepted it slipping the straps over his shoulders. Dressed in the clothes he first arrived in he was ready to depart. Naomi even washed everything and patched the holes for him.

“If you’re ever in need of a warm meal or a bed stop by anytime.” Ms. Solace smiles patting the boy’s fluffy bedhead.

“Keep out of trouble. Don’t shadow travel too much.” Will tells him earning an eye roll from the dark haired boy.

“Come visit when you can. I can only take so much whining from Skylar about how she misses her Ghost King.” Isaac jokes nudging him in the side. This earns a flick to the forehead by Skylar.

“Oh hush you.” She pouts turning back to Nico. He wanted to hug her but held back being as three other people were watching. Skylar shoots her brother a look which he returns with a smirk. Pulling Isaac by his arm the boys head out the front door to wait for the bus. Naomi heads into the kitchen to clean up the remaining dishes from breakfast.

“Sk-” Nico’s cut short as a warm body pulls him into a tight hug. Wrapping his arms around her waist he rests his face in her not injured shoulder. They stands there in silence just drinking in the other’s presence. A loud horn sounds from outside indicating the bus had arrived. Pulling away Skylar pecks his lips and retrieves her bag from the floor. She’s halfway out the door when Nico pulls her back inside.

“I-If you want you can send me messages using Reaper. He can shadow travel. I-I might not reply much but...I just thought you’d want to know. Goodbye Skylar.” Nico waves slightly allowing the shadows to swallow up his body. Once he’s gone Skylar wipes the tears from her eyes running out the door to catch the bus.


	22. Family Time

Days turned to weeks and weeks to months. Between homework and keeping up with training Skylar has kept herself busy. Will and Isaac were becoming very close friends as time passed. Now they were practically inseparable. Just how she and Will used to be. The thought left a sad smile on her face. Neither of them realized it even happened until just recently. They pulled an all nighter to finish all their assigned homework for the holidays.

_The twins gathered in Skylar’s room to work so they didn’t disturb Isaac. In between subjects they took short breaks to refill their mugs and make light conversation. Their system worked for a while until it came down to the much harder questions. Needless to say it took much longer than expected but they finished. Breathing a sigh of relief Will leans his head on his sister’s shoulder._

_Soft humming escaped Skylar’s lips as she combs through his sandy hair. “When’s the last time you and I hung out? Just the two of us?” She questions closing her blue eyes tiredly._

_Will shuts his eyes thinking for a moment. “At camp, after you told me you were dating Neeks. Wow. It's really been that long…” He mutters with a slight frown._

_“I guess we’ve just been busy.” His sister shrugs nonchalantly but her tone says otherwise. She missed being around her brother. All their rooftop talks. Early morning coffee and sharing their thoughts and dreams. No interruptions._

_“We should spend a day together like we used to do. Maybe go down to the lake or horseback riding. Just you and me.” He smiles, his blue eyes tired but glimmering._

_“I don’t want to impose on your guy time with Isaac. You two seem to be getting pretty close.” She smirked nudging his ribs._

_Will chuckles a rosy blush dusting his cheeks. “That’s entirely different. I only have one twin and that’s you. Isaac will understand.”_

_“Alright then. Pick a day and I’ll be there.” Skylar mumbles falling asleep on his shoulder. They woke up the next morning to Isaac and Naomi taking pictures of them. As embarrassing as it was Skylar still requested copies of each picture to put in her photo album._

Now, two days before Christmas her brother decided they should hang out. Their mother left to retrieve a mystery guest from the airport. Which she wouldn’t tell who it was no matter how much they begged. Isaac stated he’d be in the attic all day painting. Skylar had to admit the guy had some talent. He’s the art club’s prized member at school.

“Sky let’s go!” Will calls from outside her window bringing her back to the present. Two pails filled with the necessary supplies to bathe horses were in each of his hands. Leaning slightly out the window frame she informs him to head there first while she finishes another letter to Nico. Scratching a few more words onto the paper she rolls it up and ties it to Reaper’s collar.

“Have a safe trip boy.” Patting his head gently she waits until he vanishes into the shadows. Her and Nico exchanged notes as much as they could. Sometimes they were merely a sentence while other times as long as two pages. However the last letter she sent a few weeks ago didn’t receive a reply. So she just finished another inviting Nico to the Solace household for the holidays. It would be full of cheer and lots of food for sure.

Grabbing her Lyre Skylar heads downstairs to the kitchen and grabs a pre made picnic basket. Checking the inside she makes sure everything is there and makes her way outside to help her brother. Upon entering the barn Skylar is hit with the nostalgic scent of the stables back at Camp Half-blood. It wasn’t the most pleasing aroma but it reminded her of a safe place. Will stood beside a chestnut horse with a auburn mane and white speckles decorating it’s muzzle. His full name was Peter Pan but most of the time he was addressed by Peter. The twins had just watched the movie before Will was given the horse hence the name. Given the red tone to the horse’s mane the name stuck.

Skylar briefly greets the horse giving him a soothing rub to his neck. The horse releases a neigh nipping lightly at her hair in greeting. Laughing softly she moves to the stall beside Peter’s where her beloved old friend resided. Freckles was her name and even though it’s been over a year since she last saw her she was as beautiful as ever. Her coat was a rich chocolate greatly contrasting with the golden freckles adorning her hide and muzzle. Ortus was a magnificent pegasus with his sturdy build and white coat. Freckles on the other hand was a slender build yet strong in her own way. _I wonder how Ortus is doing. Maybe I can call Chiron and check sometime._

“Hey old girl, I missed you.” Skylar greets opening the gate and stepping inside. The horse looks at her uncertainly before slowly walking forward. Sniffing the girl’s blonde hair she lets out an overjoyed neigh. Her muzzle rubs against Skylar’s cheek so hard she almost topples over. Keeping her feet planted she gives the horse a few pats before leading her over to where Will was washing Peter. Quietly humming she sets to work scrubbing away all the grit and grime.

Once each horse was washed and dry the twins saddled them up leading them outside by the reins. Skylar hooks the picnic basket to one side of Freckles saddle tightening the strap on her shoulder connected to her quiver of arrows. Hopping on she grips the reins in both hands waiting for her brother. Will slung his bow over his shoulder along with his quiver mounting the back of his horse. They planned to practice down at the lake, have a picnic and enjoy the nice weather. Maybe even do a little exploring in the woods while they were at it.

Clicking her tongue Skylar nudges Freckles in her side easing her into a light run. Will follows after on Peter steadying his pace to run alongside his sister’s horse. The wind whips through her hair as she urges her horse to go faster. They race all the way to the lake stopping just short of the water’s edge. Jumping down from Freckle’s back Skylar lets out a cheer.

“Whoo! Freckles and I still got it!” She grins sticking her tongue out at Will. The son of Apollo huffs climbing off of his horse.

“Big whoop you just have more practice since you rode around on Ortus for half the summer.” He messes up her hair walking to a fallen stump a good distance away. Tacking on a target he returns to his sister’s side as she summons Spitfire into her hand.

“Go easy on me Sky. Not all of us can shoot hanging upside down from a tree.” Will states notching an arrow. Skylar goes to do the same but stops to watch her brother’s stance instead. At first glance it wouldn’t be noticeable but his form was off. His fingers pulling back the string wavered slightly and it wasn’t because of the wind. Taking a deep breath he aims at the target releasing the breath along with the arrow. It cuts through the air hitting the log but missing the paper target. Shaking his head Will readies another arrow.

“Wait Will.” Skylar shoulders her bow stepping over to assist her brother. She lifts his elbow up slightly and gestures to his fingers. “You’re holding the string so tight your hand’s shaking. Relax.” He does as instructed loosening his grip and repositioning his footing. Letting the arrow fly it make a satisfied clunk imbedding itself into the target right by the bullseye. Sky blue eyes look from the target to Skylar in surprise.

His sister lets out an impressed whistle. “Well look who’s been improving!” She praises getting into position. “Keep it up and you’ll be able to beat Kayla’s skills.” Will chuckles and shakes his head at his sister. She’d never admit it to him but he wasn’t the best with a bow. He was a healer not a fighter. Recently he’s been wanting to change that. To do more for those around him.

They take turns firing at the target and take a break to eat lunch. Skylar lays down a yellow and white checkered blanket as Will unpacks the basket. A small plate of sandwiches, various pieces of fruit, two bottles of juice and chocolate chip cookies. Picking up two apples Skylar chucks them into the air where their horses relaxed under a shade tree. They land in the grass rolling to a stop in front of the animals that eat them gratefully.

“What made you want a twin day all of a sudden? Don’t get me wrong it’s great I’m just wondering is all.”

“Can’t I just say I missed hanging out with you and be done with it?” Skylar shoots him a look.

“No? Alright fine.” Sighing Will goes into an explanation. “When we spoke that night at the beginning of winter break I realized just how much we’ve drifted apart since starting school. I’ve been hanging out with Isaac a lot and balancing basketball practice. Which basically left you own your own.”

It’s true she did feel like a third wheel around the boys sometimes basically confining herself to her room when not at school or attending archery practice. She chose not to say anything and learned to just deal with it over time.  “I’ve been fine Will. We’re not kids anymore I can handle being alone.” She mutters taking a drink from her bottle.

“That’s not my point. I just don’t want you to feel I’ve abandoned you seeing we’ve basically been inseparable for as long as I can remember.” Will frowns. Skylar sets her empty plate down letting out a sigh.

“Let me just say you are very sweet for being concerned. Honestly I’m happy you and Isaac have become so close. So don’t worry about me. A little alone time never hurt anybody.” She smiles packing up the leftover food. “It’s not like we’re so far away we can never see each other. That’s the time when you should start worrying.” Nodding at her, the son of Apollo finishes eating tossing the dirty dish back into the basket. When finished they stand beside the water taking in the scenery.

Only a few trees still had leaves. A soft rustling noise fills the area as the wind blows through the branches. Not too far away from their position is a small circle of flowers that never wilted. Isaac claimed it was from his mother Aphrodite visiting all those months ago. It was their favorite place to escape to growing up. Closing her eyes in contentment Skylar doesn’t notice her brother sneaking behind her. For a split second she’s airborne before plunging into the ice cold water of the glistening lake.

Gasping in surprise water fills her mouth as she struggled to gather her bearings. Kicking her legs she struggles to the surface. That’s one thing she needed to work on. Swimming. Breaking through the water’s surface Skylar coughs up any water in her mouth. Will knelt beside the water’s edge. His expression teetering from amused to unsettled. Reaching his hand out he offers to pull his sister from the water. Grabbing onto his arm with both hands she yanks him in laughing at the sound of surprise he makes. Will resurfaces almost instantly slicking his bangs back with his hand.

“Gotcha punk!” Skylar grins.

“I should've seen that coming.” The sandy blond chuckles playfully splashing her. She sends a small wave of water back at him in retaliation. This ultimately lead to the Solace twins having a full blown water battle under the afternoon sun. By the end they called a truce growing tired from all the exertion. Climbing out of the water they huddle under the picnic blanket as the cool air seeps through their clothes.

“P-probably not the best idea to take a swim in w-winter.” Skylar’s teeth were beginning to chatter. Will wraps an arm around his sister’s shoulder sharing his body heat. “Wanna head home and make some hot chocolate?”

“Nah, I’d much rather stay out here and catch a cold.” Will says sarcastically. Ruffling his sister’s hair he lets her keep the blanket as they retrieve all their items. Mounting their respective horses they head home for a surprise.


	23. Pizza and Movies

Tears fell down Isaac’s cheeks as he stares out the living room window from his laying down position on the sofa. That was the first sight that greeted the twins upon arriving home. Concerned they stand beside their friend placing a hand on each of his shoulders. Sitting up he incoherently sobs a few words pointing to something outside. Their mother’s car sat out in the driveway as she assisted someone in unloading their bags from the trunk. Once the trunk slams shut she realizes the true reason behind Isaac’s weeping. Dressed in a white t-shirt, faded checkered flannel, dark jeans and a beanie was a man she hadn’t seen for quite some time. The minute the man’s boots enter the house Skylar rushes at him wrapping the burly man in a tight hug. Boisterous laughter reaches her ears as another body collides into the man right after.

“Dad!”

“Mr. Mackenzie!”

Isaac and Skylar call out joyfully burying their faces in the man’s shirt. The daughter of Apollo’s damp clothes seeped into the man’s own dry apparel. Setting down his suitcase he squeezes the two kids in a bear hug lifting them off the ground. They were being slightly crushed but didn’t mind. Placing them back onto the floor he plops a hand atop his son’s head ruffling his wavy brown locks. Dark green eyes gazed joyfully at the boy pulling him into another hug which he gladly returns. “Oh Isaac my boy it’s so good to see you.” Mr. Mackenzie says his voice laced with emotion. “You as well young Skylar.” He nods to the girl with a smile which she gladly returns with one of her own.

“Gods dad what are you doing here? I missed you so much!” Isaac rubs his eyes looking up at his father.

“Skylar’s mother was kind enough to invite me to stay for a few days. I see you’ve finally got a bit of meat on your bones.” Mr. Mackenzie chuckles pinching Isaac’s arm lightly. Naomi slips in the door behind Isaac’s father leading them into the family room. Skylar excuses herself to go change while Isaac and his father catch up. Will follows after her heading to his own room. When they both emerge Will stops at the top of the stairs listening to the joyful laughter filling the first floor.

“So that’s Isaac’s dad? Totally not what I expected.” He whispers to Skylar. In truth Mr. Mackenzie seemed the complete opposite of what Will imagined Isaac’s father to look like. They’d never really talked much about him in the months Isaac stayed with the twins. The man currently sitting in the family room had the appearance of a grizzly bear. Intimidating and hairy. A soft laugh comes from his sister standing beside him at his bewildered expression.

“His personality takes a bit of getting used to but don’t worry you’ll love him. He knows how to make a mean cup of coffee too.” She smiles tugging on his arm and leading him into the living room. Their mother brought out mugs of hot cocoa and a full plate of sugar cookies for everyone.

“Ah! This must be the famous brother young Skylar has told me about! Come sit down boy let’s have a talk.” Mr. Mackenzie waves Will over who sits in the chair across from him. Skylar sits on the armrest of her brother’s chair grinning ear to ear. Isaac wore a similar expression beyond excited to see his father again. “I trust you two have made up?” The man questions shifting his green eyes from Will to Skylar.

“Yes sir.” Skylar replies politely. Retrieving a mug of hot chocolate she sits back down beside Will.

“That’s what I like to hear. Siblings have no need to be quarreling in this day and age. That sister of yours spoke very highly of you, says you're the best healer at that camp.” Mr. Mackenzie addresses Will his dark green eyes examining the son of Apollo. He’d yet to form an opinion on the boy wanting to have a proper conversation with him first. Man to man.

The blond’s face flushes at the praise glancing at his sister. “Did she? I’m nothing special sir. My fighting isn’t exactly up to par with the rest and singing is out of the question. Healing is really the only thing I’m good at.”

“Nonsense! You’d be wise to take pride in your work. Why, without you there’ll surely be lives lost what with all those monsters you kids face. Isaac was just telling me about your encounter with that boy Dustin. A right shame how warped his ideals became. Told me your sister there would've died without your quick wit.” Mr. Mackenzie says sipping from his mug. Isaac gives him a towel after seeing some of the chocolate beverage stuck to his mustache.

“I just did what had to be done. There’s no way I could just sit around and let her die.” Will leans forward resting his arms on his knees.

Skylar scoffs beside him. “If it weren’t for you Nico and I’d have a one way ticket into the afterlife. Stop being so modest my dear brother.” She smirks nudging him with her elbow.

Mr. Mackenzie perks up at the mention of Nico. Folding his hands on his lap he leans closer. “Isn’t that the boy you were searching all over for? Is he here now? I’d like to have a word.” The way his eyes hardened didn’t go unnoticed by Skylar. It would be more like scolding if he and Nico spoke right now.

Shifting uneasily Skylar sips quietly at her hot chocolate. “About that...h-he’s sort of um...not here?”

Isaac assists in answering coming to the blonde girl’s aid. “He kind of moves to the beat of his own drum. One minute he’s here and the next he could be somewhere in California. Skylar invited him for Christmas though so you might be able to meet him. Nico’s a bit hard to interpret but he’s not a bad guy. Just has a lot on his plate.” Mr. Mackenzie nods in understanding. She thanks the son of Aphrodite with a slight nod of her head.

“It would be nice to have a full house this year. Normally it’s just the twins and I so this year is a nice change.” Naomi says having returned from the kitchen. She left earlier to order pizza for everyone courtesy of Mr. Mackenzie’s generous wallet. Nodding to her mother Skylar glances down to the floor as something claws at her pant leg. Reaper sat beside her sock clad feet a roll of parchment between in skeletal jaw. Leaning down she lifts the cat onto her lap completely disregarding the fact that Mr. Mackenzie has never seen said creature before.

“Bloody buggering hell!” Hunter green eyes widen in astonishment as he takes a drink from his mug. A loud snort is heard from the burly man causing Isaac to jump in surprise. Dribbles of chocolate fell from his beard as some of the liquid splashed back in his face. Coughing, Mr. Mackenzie set his mug down gesturing wildly at the feline. “W-what is that infernal beast?!”

Reaper hisses at the insult. His bones rattling together to make some form of growling noise. Removing the scroll from his grasp Skylar lightly strokes his head watching as he curls up contently. “Mr. Mackenzie I assure you Reaper is harmless. Please refrain from insulting him though as he is a part of this family.” She pauses staring down at the resting cat. “He’s how Nico and I communicate over long distances.”

Wiping his face with a towel offered by Naomi, Mr. Mackenzie lets out a sigh. “Forgive me. I’m yet to be fully used to your world having been neglecting it for so long.” Green eyes gaze down at the curled up creature on Skylar’s lap. “That friend of yours sure is something. Resurrecting the dead and what not. Risky business he’s meddling in, can’t imagine that god of the Underworld will be too pleased.”

“Being the son of Hades himself sort of gives him a free pass on occasion.” Isaac shrugs nonchalantly having gotten accustomed to Nico’s parentage. “Just as long as he doesn’t go overboard anyway.”

Skylar nods in agreement unrolling the letter and scanning the words scrawled onto the parchment. Will tries to peek over her shoulder earning a slap from his twin. “Excuse you, last time I checked your name wasn’t Skylar.” She teases sticking her tongue out at him and returning to reading.

In the meantime Isaac and his father get into a heated discussion about which of their favorite video game characters were better. _I take it back, they’re birds of a feather._ Will internally chuckles watching the father and son duo have an animated conversation. More specifically watching a certain son of Aphrodite. The way his wavy brown hair just barely falls into his shimmering green eyes. How his nose and cheeks were lightly dusted in freckles from spending time in the sun. Especially the way Isaac talked with his hands when the subject was something he was passionate about. At first glance you never could guess he and Mr. Mackenzie were related except for a few small features. However looking at them now the son of Apollo knew for certain they were indeed family. The thought brought a content smile to his face and before he realizes it he’s been staring at Isaac for a couple of minutes analyzing his appearance.

Will registers Skylar leaving his side snapping him from his intense staring. Blushing faintly he hides his face partially in his mug. As much as he wanted to deny it, he had a small crush on the son of Aphrodite. That being said he wouldn’t act on it now. No, he’d keep it to himself as to not ruin the blossoming friendship he and Isaac shared. Said boy flashes Will a dazzling smile that he returns. He takes it back, make that a major crush.

Sitting atop the kitchen counter Skylar hummed to herself. Letting out a dejected sigh she folds up the parchment placing it in the pocket of her pajama pants. Ocean blue eyes gaze outside the lightly frosted window. Gentle snowflakes fell from the sky blanketing the ground in the white substance. From the other room she hears the ring of a doorbell and the heavy thumping of Mr.Mackenzie’s feet as he answers the door. His gruff voice announces loudly that the pizza has arrived.

Footsteps approached the kitchen pushing open the swinging Oak door. “Honey? Dinner is here.” Naomi calls to her daughter while holding two plates each with two slices of pizza on them. The blonde gives her mother a muttered reply of acknowledgement continuing to gaze out the window. “Is everything alright dear?” She questions setting the plates down beside Skylar.

“Mhmm, just needed a break is all.” The golden-haired girl tells her mother taking a bit out of her bacon and pepperoni pizza slice. “By the way, Nico sends his regards. Something came up with his dad so he might not be here for Christmas.”

Naomi hums softly leaning against the counter beside her daughter and eating her own food. “I see, so that’s what has you down. Well sitting by yourself and moping about it isn’t going to solve anything.”

“I’m not moping.” Skylar huffs glancing over at Naomi. “Can’t a girl have some alone time around here?”  

“From what I understand you’ve had nothing but alone time these past few weeks.” Her mother’s hand ruffles her hair gently. “Come join us if you feel like it.” With that Naomi leaves the blonde alone. Finishing off her pizza she places the dish in the sink and heads toward the stairs. Reaper follows behind his little feet making tapping noises on the wooden flooring. Halfway up the staircase she halts. Skylar’s thoughts were at war with one another.

She would love to go back into the family room and catch Mr. Mackenzie up on most things. On the other hand her fluffy bed was calling her to just turn in for the night. “What do you think Reaper? Wanna spook Mr. Mackenzie some more or go to bed?” The skeletal feline tilts its head at her sliding past her legs to once again head downstairs. “Alright then.”

Isaac perks up when Naomi returns but his mood deflates when discovering she’s alone. She gives the boy an apologetic smile taking a seat in one of the recliners. He hoped Ms. Solace would return with her daughter not wanting Skylar to be alone. Despite being in a discussion with his father earlier he noticed how the daughter of Apollo just up and left. Will, who changed seats to sit beside Isaac, slings his arm across his shoulders. Green eyes shift to look at the blond.

“Keep scrunching your face up like that and it’ll get stuck that way.” Will smirks.

Isaac rolls his eyes sinking deeper into the couch cushions. “Ha ha very funny.” Resting his head on the arm of the sofa he places his feet in Will’s lap. His reindeer sock clad feet wiggle slightly. “Sky should be here with us watching cheesy Holiday films and gorging on greasy pizza.”

Raising a questioning brow at Isaac’s sock choice he gives a simple response. “Just give it a few minutes.” Choosing not to question it the brunet turns back to the tv where the two adults were engrossed in the film playing. His father now held a mug of spiked eggnog in his hand courtesy of Ms. Solace. _That might not end well._ He internally chuckles.

As if on cue about five minutes pass before Skylar sneaks into the room taking up a spot on the floor beside the couch. At first no one notices all secretly rooting for their choice man of who should end up with the lead woman role. From what she gathered one of the men was secretly a prince and also the woman’s fiance. The other her childhood best friend.

“Obviously she’s gonna pick the best friend. I mean her fiance doesn’t even acknowledge how important family traditions are.” Skylar whispers wrapping a blanket around her body. Apparently she commented loud enough to earn a response.

“I know right? Prince or not the guy obviously lacks in the fiance department. ” Isaac whispers back before freezing. Slowly he turns to his left and almost falls off the couch at the sight of Skylar right beside him. “Sky?!” Will instantly shushes the brunet not even remotely surprised his sister appeared out of the blue.

“Hi.” The golden-haired girl smiles leaning her head beside his so they could converse without disturbing the others.

“I didn’t think you’d come back. Seemed like Nico’s note really bummed you out.” Isaac murmurs turning on his side to face her. “He’s not coming is he?”

“Originally I was going to just go to bed but Reaper wanted to cause a bit more mischief. Most likely not, said something about helping his dad.” Skylar replies quietly her ocean eyes focusing on the cream blanket covering her body.

“Well look on the bright side.” Isaac snickers slightly at his accidental pun. “You have me, Will, your mom and my dad so you won’t be alone.”

“Who are you and what have you done with my friend? You’re too sappy to be him.” She giggles.

“Well excuuuuse me.” He pouts.

“Thanks bud, I appreciate your concern.”Skylar lifts her hand to brush the hair from his eyes.

“No problemo, what are friends for?” Isaac says with a soft smile.

Leaning closer she asks the question weighing on her mind. “Mind if I ask you about something?” Her blue eyes flicker to her brother who absentmindedly started to play with the fabric of Isaac’s socks. The brunet nods urging her to continue.

“How do you view my brother?”


	24. Holiday

“Skylar I swear if this is your way of playing matchmaker just stop now.” Isaac hisses to the blonde. The last thing he needed was for Will to overhear them.

“That’s not what I mean but if you want to confess your burning love for him then go ahead.” Skylar’s mouth is covered abruptly as Will glances over in their direction. Isaac waves away his attention with the smile he knows the blond secretly loves. Will furrows his brows but smiles nonetheless facing the tv. Turning back to the daughter of Apollo he sighs.

“Not cool Sky. You don’t see me prancing around the room singing about how much you love di Angelo.” He grumbles but removes his hand. “What context did you mean then if not that?”

“As an individual. How do you view Will as a person.” Skylar clarifies waving her hand nonchalantly in the air. “For the record I would prance around singing about Nico.”

“Will’s...cool?” Isaac supplies lamely.

“...Care to be more specific?”

“Will has this ability to make a person feel safe. He radiates a sort of calm ya know? I admire that about him. How he can stay level headed in difficult situations when in reality he’s probably freaking out on the inside. He’s also a closet dork and oblivious to flirting it seems given as all the advances he receives at school are met with denial.” The pair laugh quietly to themselves at the thought. Will did indeed have quite a few admirers at school and it remains unknown to him that people do indeed flirt with him. “Will is...my best friend and maybe in time I’d like for us to be more. He’s free to do as he pleases. If it turns out he chooses someone else I’ll support his decision. I just wish he’d have more confidence in his own abilities. Though I guess we all have insecurities huh?” Isaac finishes quietly.

His explanation filled Skylar with a sense of pride for her brother. Just the fact that at least one person beside herself viewed Will as his true self put her at ease. “Yeah...he’s the best.” She mumbles the duo both directing their eyes to look at said boy. “I still think you should make a move though.” Isaac just shakes his head letting out a defeated sigh. What was he going to do with her? They share a smile turning their attention back to the tv to finish the movie. Skylar’s mind put at ease with the new information. _Whether you know it or not you’ll be exactly what he needs if something happens to me._  

Sunlight just barely began to seep through the thin curtains adorning the windows. Curled up on the bench under the windowpane sat Skylar who sipped tentatively at her cup of tea. Lounging next to her sock clad feet was Reaper making soft chittering noises in his sleep. She estimated it to be around six. Any minute now she expected someone to bang on her door so they could gather downstairs for presents. “Good morning dad. Merry Christmas.” Her voice whispers to the rising sun. She wasn’t sure if gods even celebrated the holiday but said it anyway. Downing the rest of her tea Skylar sets the mug on her table throwing an oversized sweater on over her t-shirt.

Loud knocking assaults her door before Will pokes his head inside the room. “Sky? Oh good you’re up. Come on everyone's waiting downstairs to open presents.” He tells her an excited smile on his face. Laughing quietly at him she places Reaper atop her shoulder and follows the blond downstairs. Seated around the living room near the family’s Christmas tree was Isaac, Mr. Mackenzie and Naomi. Isaac bounced impatiently in his seat and Skylar faintly wonders if the boy even slept last night.

“Finally! I was just about to open them without you!” The green-eyed boy tells the twins as they take a seat beside one another on the couch.

“Mom wouldn’t of let you. It’s tradition for everyone to be awake before opening gifts.” Will yawns as the two adults in the room begin passing out the gifts. Even Mr. Mackenzie had two decent sized gifts to open despite his visit being one of surprise.

“One of the more tame traditions we have in this house I’d say.” Skylar chuckles piling her presents on the table in front of her.

“What do you mean?” Isaac asks looking over at her.

“The day isn’t in full swing until we all take turns singing Holiday songs. Will always tries to get out of it every year but a little birdie told me that might change.” She nudges the blond’s side with a smirk. He sighs beside her running a hand over the smooth packaging of a present in his hand.

“We’ll see.” Is his reply before the living room is a flurry of torn wrapping paper as Naomi gives the children the go ahead. She watched the children with a content smile filming their reactions to their gifts.

Choruses of ‘thank you’ and ‘oh my gods’ resound through the room. Naomi opens her present from the twins chuckling at the sight of a cookbook and picture frame. In the frame was a photo of the two and Ortus taken by back at camp. Both children had smiles on their faces with silly bunny ears over each of their heads.

“Are you two trying to tell me my cooking is bad?” Ms. Solace asks waving the cookbook around.

“Nah, we just figured you might want to broaden your horizons.” Skylar grins.

“Yeah, your cooking is awesome mom.” Will chimes in. “Better than Sky anyway.”

“I’ll remember that the next time you ask me to make you breakfast.” Skylar grumbles punching her brother in the shoulder.

“Mhmm, that’s what I thought.” Their mother laughs. Mr. Mackenzie opens up a gift from his son freezing in place. Teary-eyed he gently traces his finger over the colored surface of the canvas on his lap. It was a painting of a beautiful woman. One that he hasn’t seen in many years.

“I know I probably didn’t do her justice but I painted her by memory as best as I could.” Isaac smiles playing nervously with his sweater sleeve. His father sets the painting on the table embracing the young boy in a tight embrace.

“Isaac. It’s perfect, you did a wonderful job my son.” He praises placing a kiss to the boy’s wavy brown hair. Drawing his attention back to the painting Mr. Mackenzie drinks in the appearance of Isaac’s mother. He’d painted her as he remembered. Perfectly curled chestnut hair and blue eyes that shined as bright as jewels. Isaac managed to make her image very lifelike the twins could even spot the tiniest of freckles peppered across her rosy cheeks. The goddess of love sat atop a bed of gorgeous flowers that paled in comparison to her beauty.

“Whoa, I knew you were amazing but this is on another level!” Skylar praises.

“Aphrodite appears differently to each person depending on their desires. Yet you and your father held the same image. You have a gift my friend.” Will beams as Isaac flushes from all the praise.

“Just go on and open yours already. I can’t handle all the praise.” Isaac groans burying his face in his hands.

The twins chuckle at their friend peeling back the paper to reveal their artwork. Will peers down at his with a sense of familiarity. A field of lush green and a sky a cheerful blue. Fluffy white clouds littered the blue but not so much as to be overwhelming. Sitting on a hill were two figures each with hair the color of golden wheat. Their side profiles were visible and Will could tell it was the images of Issac, Will and Skylar. Isaac even detailed in the strip of brown in Skylar’s hair. She had her Lyre resting on her lap and seemed to be in mid laughter. Will sat beside her with his mouth open and his arm slung over her shoulder. Across from the duo sat Isaac in one of his cartoon t-shirts with a basket of red berries in his lap. He was painted in a stilled image of tossing one into Will’s awaiting mouth. At the bottom of the hill were strawberry fields identical to the ones back at Camp Half-blood. Will’s heart swelled at the memory fighting the massive grin forming on his face.

Skylar’s painting brought back a fond but slightly saddening memory. Bundled up together on the floor beside a fireplace was Will, Nico and herself. Will’s head rested against her own his eyes closed in a blissful sleep. Skylar leaned against her brother partially covered with a blanket and fast asleep. Her fingers were woven through Nico’s obsidian locks. The son of Hades had a rare smile and a look of absolute contentment filling his features. It was identical to the picture Percy took of them asleep on the Big House’s floor. Taken the same night they learned of Bianca’s death and Nico’s disappearance.

“I used photos from your photo album and recreated some moments I thought you two might cherish. It took me a long time to paint them but the looks on your faces is worth it.” Isaac speaks before being forced into a hug by the twins. Will mumbles a thank you burying his face in Isaac’s hair as Skylar rests her chin on the green-eyed boy’s shoulder. He gladly accept the hug pulling the children of Apollo closer. In the background the shuttering of a camera sounds drawing their attention over to Ms. Solace and Mr. Mackenzie. Naomi wore a glimmering gold hairpin shaped like a butterfly gifted to her from Isaac. Where he managed to find it Skylar didn’t know but it made her mother smile so that was good enough.

“I want copies.” Skylar and Isaac say together causing them to grin at one another. Upon settling back into their seats Skylar holds up a long, thin box wrapped in gold paper. No tag with the sender’s name just her name written in white letters on the top. Will picks up a smaller rectangular box wrapped similarly to her own. Across the table Isaac holds up a gift except his is wrapped in a shimmering silver and square in shape.

Pulling back the paper Skylar is greeted with a plain cardboard box. Slicing open the tape with Mr. Mackenzie’s pocket knife, she opens the flaps revealing the contents. “Holy Hephaestus.” She whispers reaching in and pulling out a brand new quiver. It was accompanied by six glimmering bronze arrows sharpened perfectly.

“Whoa, now you can replace your tattered old one.” Will comments gazing at the new equipment.

The one she currently owned had seen better days and was patched up so many times it was past time for a new one. So you can imagine how ecstatic she was to be gifted one. The leather itself was a rich mocha color. Every piece of stitching was made with golden thread that contrasted the dark material. The buckle holding the strap together had the same gold tone. According to the size of it Skylar estimated it would hold about twelve maybe fourteen arrows max after counting out the six already gifted with it. Unbuckling the strap she wraps it around her waist and tightens. It fit snug sitting at just the right length for her to comfortably reach around for an arrow. Removing the quiver from her hips Skylar plops back down on the couch to see what the boys received

Will rips into his present pulling out a book and small wooden box. A paper note flutters to the floor which Skylar picks up and reads to him.

“Put these to good use in the near future.” Raising an eyebrow she directs her attention back to Will who opens the wooden box first. Isaac leans over the coffee table to get a better look.

“Who wraps plants as a Christmas present?” The green-eyed boy questions.

“Not just any plants. Medicinal herbs and remedies.” Will mutters setting the box on the table and pulling out a few bottles. “Some of these are really rare curatives. The book that came with them must be instructions.” he continues to talk to himself causing Isaac and Skylar to chuckle at him. He sure was a medical nut through and through.

Finally Isaac opens his gift allowing the silver paper to litter the floor. Opening the cardboard box protecting the present a look of curiosity adorns his features. Nimble fingers grasp the object inside bringing it into view of everyone.

“What ya got there son?” Mr. Mackenzie questions slinging an arm over his boy’s shoulders.

“It’s a mirror.” Isaac mutters inspecting the piece in his hand. It was entirely made out of pure silver giving out a gleam when it hit the sun. The handle itself was adorned in spiraling vines leading up to the blooming red rose on the back of the hand mirror. Small rubies outlined the face of the mirror. “It’s beautiful and all but which one of you got it for me?” He questions looking around the room. Silence is his answer as nobody fesses up.

“If you guys didn’t get it for me then who?”

“Maybe your mom did? I have a hunch our dad brought us these.” Skylar speaks up gesturing to her quiver and Will’s medical supplies. The blonde gathers her presents into a pile checking the tree for any stray gifts. Off to the side sat a small mound of gifts untouched. Each tag had the same name. Nico. Letting out a quiet sigh she returns to her place beside Will. He flashes her a sympathetic smile before turning back to his book.

“Do gods and goddesses even celebrate Christmas?” Isaac questions running his fingers over the smooth glass of the mirror.

“I’m not sure. This is the first time our dad gave us anything for the holiday. You know how gods can be. Too busy for their children.” Will replies.

“Ehh, we’re all pretty much used to it and respect our godly parent.” Skylar shrugs.  

“Now you kids get to cleanin’ Naomi and I have to begin preparing for our Christmas feast tonight.” Mr. Mackenzie tells them rising to his feet and leaving the room with Ms. Solace. Will grabs a plastic garbage bag and together the trio cleans up every scrap of colorful paper in sight. When they’re done they settle down on the couch. Skylar on the left, Will in the middle and Isaac on the other end.

Pulling his long legs onto the couch and resting his head on Skylar’s lap Will goes back to reading. His sky blue eyes continue to scan the pages of his book while engaging in conversation. His sister’s fingers ran through the golden locks absentmindedly staring out the window. In her other hand she clutched a cup of coffee Mr. Mackenzie made for her taking a drink every few minutes.

Isaac goes back to inspecting the mirror. From what he’s learned about everyday objects turning into monster fighting weapons it surely couldn’t be just any old piece of glass. Hunter green eyes fall upon a small detail etched in the handle. Chuckling to himself he mentally thanks the gifter and places it delicately back in the box. When he seems them again he wouldn’t let them hear the end of it.

Skylar let out a yawn lifting her brother’s head off her lap and dropping it onto the couch as she stands. “Well boys I don’t know about you but I’m itching for some practice. Plus it snowed last night so it gives me an excuse to make snowmen.” The blonde waves walking upstairs to change into more suitable clothing.


	25. Hearth and Home

“Y-you know that I don’t mix w-well with the cold weather.” Will grumbles visibly shivering even under five layers of clothing. The trio currently stood outside adorning winter clothes preparing for target practice in the woods not too far from their home. Just past the trees he could make out the bright red barn housing their horses. They were on vacation but Skylar insisted they stay in top form. Which is why said girl was currently placing various targets around the forest on trees and snowmen. Each with their respective names on it.

Isaac, who was faring much better than his blond companion chuckles at his expense. Removing his own scarf he wraps it around Will’s neck. “Don’t be a baby and bundle up.”

“Won’t you be cold? I don’t want to be the one responsible if you wind up with a cold” Will frowns but buries his face into the soft black fabric nonetheless. Isaac casually waves off his concern lifting his borrowed bow from off the ground. Skylar, who was standing a good distance away whistles drawing their attention back to the targets posted on the trees around her.

“Alright boys the rules are simple. Try to hit the targets while dodging my onslaught of attacks. The one with the most points by the end wins When time is up I’ll signal with a whistle so we can rondevu. Do try not to shoot one another or myself.Loser has to do something for the winner.” Skylar sums up the rules and conjures a small ball of light in her hand. Just enough force to knock the boys down without causing bodily harm. Counting down in her head she lets out a whistle signalling the beginning of training. Clicking the button on her timer Skylar sets her sights on the boys.  

Isaac takes off to the right running atop the snow covered ground bow in hand. Will ran to the left already prepping an arrow to fire. Sliding across the ground he narrowly dodges his sister’s attack releasing the bow string. With a thud the arrow is imbedded into the tree trunk. His celebration is short lived upon seeing it completely missed the circle target tacked to the tree.

“Gotta do better than that bro!” Skylar teases flinging an orb in Isaac’s direction. Letting out a surprises yelp Isaac leaps into the snow while simultaneously releasing an arrow in her direction. Summoning a quick shield she watches the glinting bronze ricochet off sticking directly into one of Isaac’s targets. “Lucky shot Mackenzie!” She calls dispersing the shield and throwing more orbs at a rapid pace.

Will and Isaac weave between the trees avoiding each other and Skylar’s attacks. Hoisting herself up onto a tree branch Skylar tries to get a better view on the boy’s whereabouts. Ocean blue eyes narrow scanning the snow for them. Out of the corner of her eye she spots Will’s red beanie poking over a snowbank. Not too far away hunkered behind a tree was Isaac. His hunter green eyes scanned the area gripping the string on his bow.

“Why couldn’t they think of something to do inside where it’s warm?” Will grumbles pulling the bow string back and sinking another arrow into the target. Not too far from his location a blast kicks up the snow throwing Isaac into his direction. The two boys crash to the ground tumbling face first into the frozen slush. Will rises, sitting on his knees and looking over at his fallen companion.

“Dude, your sister is going to kill us.” Isaac grumbles rubbing his head after colliding with the blond. Laughter could be heard in the distance from Skylar as she jumped through the tree branches. “This is less like training and more like she just wants an excuse to fire at us.” He continues as Will helps him to his feet. Isaac thanks him adjusting his equipment and retrieving his winter cap from the snow placing it atop his brown locks.

“It’s nice to get some exercise after being cooped up in the house. Although I have to agree she seems to be going all out.” Giving the brunet an innocent smile Will swipes a few arrows from Isaac’s quiver taking of in a different direction. “Don’t forget we’re still competing against each other!” He calls back at the dumbfounded boy waving his newly acquired arrows into the air.  

“You cheater! Get back here!” Isaac yells pursuing the thief and raising a fist in the air. The son of Apollo’s laughter echoed through the trees reaching Skylar’s ears as she takes a break.

Settling down on a sturdy enough branch she keeps an eye out. Time would be up soon enough and the constant barrage of bullets she produced was starting to take its toll. For the remaining few minutes she decided to just let them toss around what remaining ammo they had left. At the end they’ll tally up all the points and proclaim a winner. _They’re both progressing far past what I expected._ Letting out an impressed hum Skylar shivers at the cool breeze blowing through her hair. In the distance she just barely makes out Isaac tackling Will into one of the snowmen she built. _They’re lucky I love them or I’d make them pay for rudley demolishing my hard work._ Rolling her eyes she fires a few arrows off into a nearby tree while she waits.

“I imagine this was your handiwork?” Someone questions from below startling the blonde into falling off the tree branch. A pile of snow cushions her fall and blue eyes look up to find the culprit of her little mishap. Surprise and slight annoyance becomes apparent on Skylar’s face. Mr. Mackenzie lets out a chuckle helping the young girl to her feet.

“Hello sir. Our normal training was becoming a tad boring. I just thought we’d make it a bit more exciting.” Skylar shrugs reaching for the timer around her neck as it begins to beep signalling the end of their session. Placing her fingers to her lips she whistles loudly. Not too far away she hears two more answering in succession. This was their signal to head back to the house. Mr. Mackenzie place a gloved hand atop her head drawing her attention back to the burly man.

“Your mother asked me to bring you children out of the cold.” He tells Skylar earning a nod of acknowledgment from the daughter of Apollo. Skylar waits patiently beside Mr. Mackenzie for the boys to return. Scuffing her boot in the snow she walks around examining each target pulling the arrows out after each one. Mentally counting the arrows protruding from each she tallies the points. With Mr. Mackenzie’s help she finishes in no time. Bundling up the arrows they place them into two piles for the boys to retrieve.  Isaac's voice reaches them and before long they're standing in front of her.  
  
"I vote Will should be disqualified." Isaac huffs wringing out his hat. Small water droplets trickle from the fabric and mix with the snow.  
  
"All's fair in love and competition." Will chuckles shoving his hands in his pockets. Isaac gives him a playful shove and a glare to match.  
  
"Okay you two save it for when I'm not around." Skylar winks. She laughs when each of their faces flare up.  
  
"Sky!" They cough awkwardly looking away from one another.  
  
"I tallied up each of your scores and figured out a winner." She continues looking over at Mr. Mackenzie. Using two fallen sticks he drums them against a tree trunk.  
  
"I totally creamed you." Isaac gloats nudging Will's side.  
  
"In your dreams Mackenzie." Will replies with a smirk.  
  
When the drumroll ends Skylar throws her hands in the air. Little fireworks explode from her palms in celebration. "Isaac wins!" She cheers. "Now don't forget the deal William. You have to do something for our winner." Skylar reminds much to Will's discomfort. He had something planned in case he lost but never imagined he actually had to go through with it.  
  
Isaac throws his fist into the air. "Yes! I told you!" Mr. Mackenzie laughs at his son placing a large hand on his head. The son of Aphrodite beams up at his father.  
  
"Good job my boy!"  
  
Wills lets out a defeated sigh putting his hands up in surrender. "Good game. I'll admit you're way better with a bow than I originally thought. You could give us children of Apollo a run for our money."  
  
"No way man I just got a few lucky shots. If Skylar didn't blast us into that snowbank you would of beat me." Isaac tells him glancing over to the blonde now pulling her arrows out of the tree and placing them in her quiver. One was giving her a particular hard time. With both hands gripping the metal shaft she places one foot on the tree trunk and tugs hard. The arrowhead comes loose and Skylar stumbles back into the snow. Snickers come from Will and Isaac as she stands brushing the snow from her bottom.  
  
"Instead of laughing you two could of been helping." Skylar huffs putting the last arrow into her quiver.

“There’s a bowl of soup and a warm fire back at home that’s calling my name.” Isaac says. Will agrees as well which leaves Skylar overruled. _That does sound rather enticing._ She walks over to the boys flinging her arms over their shoulders. Giving in, the trio walks with Mr. Mackenzie back to the Solace household to warm up.

Nico paced the front porch checking the inside of his jacket. Once he ensures the package is tucked away safely he stops in front of a window. His fingers run through messy obsidian locks in an attempt to look presentable. Scowling at a certain piece that keeps sticking up he gives up moving to the front door. From outside he could hear muffled voices. Tentatively his knuckles knock on the large wooden door three times. Pulling his hand away he waits for someone to answer.

Without looking through the peephole Isaac flings the door open. Confusion is apparent on his face until he registers the boy standing in front of him. “Look who decided to show up. Couldn’t wait to see me could you?” The brunet teases stepping aside allowing Nico to walk inside. Nico rolls his eyes at him. He looks around the entryway and slides off his shoes. A slight shiver courses through his body when his feet come in contact with the cold floor. Following the son of Aphrodite Nico finds himself in the family room. Lounging on one of the couches was a stoic man he’d never seen before.

He had curly black hair that poked out from under a beanie. A bushy beard covered most of his face and dark green eyes were fixated on the television in front of him. His body adorned overalls and a seafoam green flannel. From the corner of his eye Nico could of sworn the large man was wearing snowman socks.

“Son who was at th- why hello there. Who might you be?” The man questions turning to face Nico and Isaac.

“Nico di Angelo.” Nico introduces politely despite the anxiety bubbling within.

“You don’t say...this is a small world isn’t it? Well son of Hades I’ve heard a lot about you and I must say you’re much more scrawny than I expected. I’m Isaac’s father.” Mr. Mackenzie says sizing Nico up. Inwardly scowling Nico chooses not to respond. “Young Skylar spoke so highly of you yet all I see is a malnourished pup.”

“Funny she didn’t mention a lumberjack in any of her letters. Must not of been important enough.” Nico snaps throwing caution to the wind. Mr. Mackenzie moves to speak again but Isaac beats him to the punch.

“Dad please stop being rude or I’ll tell Ms. Solace.” Isaac threatens steering Nico toward the stairs and away from his father. He grabs the snacks he was to retrieve for the twins previously on the way. His green eyes drift down to Nico’s hands where his nails were digging into the palms. Once they began ascending the stairs he apologizes to the raven. “Sorry about him. He doesn’t exactly have a filter.”

“I can see the resemblance between you two.” Nico faintly smirks. “Neither of you know when to be quiet.”

“I resent that comment. Keep in mind I could of just left you down there with him.” Isaac reminds leading him to the end of the hall to a white door decorated in gold music notes. Above the door frame was a red light bulb that was currently turned on. He presses a small button to the left of the door and speaks into the intercom. A few seconds later the lock clicks on the door and Isaac pushes it open.

Sitting on a cushion in the middle of the floor was Skylar. Blonde hair was thrown half heartedly into a bun. Perched on the bridge of her freckled nose a pair of black-rimmed eyeglasses. This made Nico wonder if she always had them and never wore them around him. Dressed in an oversized sweater he guessed to be Will’s she scribbled furiously with a pencil. Papers littered the floor around her varying from notebook size to small cards. Sat atop a notebook beside the blonde was a remote and a styrofoam cup of what looked to be instant noodles?. The son of Hades doubted they were healthy. Not too far away lounging on a bench was Will. His face was obscured by sheet music. To Nico he reminded him of a cat basking in the rays of the sun.

“Heya bud did you bring the sustenance?” Skylar questions not looking up from her work. Will on the other hand sits up with a yawn. His sky blue eyes widen slightly at the sight of Nico but gives the boy a welcoming smile. Walking to Isaac he retrieves a water bottle from his armful of snacks.

“I come bringing the gift of friendship!” Isaac announces dramatically. He slides off to the side to reveal the dark-haired boy waiting behind him.

“Yeah, I treasure our friendship but I’d rather have my tea right now.” She waves in Isaac’s general direction then to a empty mug beside her.

“What if I have something better than tea? I forgot to get it anyway.” Isaac shrugs tapping his foot waiting for the blonde to look up. Will strides over to his sister and forces her attention off of the material in front of her. Before she can protest her eyes fall upon a certain dark haired boy not bundled up nearly enough for the cold weather. In a flurry of papers and almost knocking her noodles over Skylar races toward Nico.

He braced himself to be crushed in a hug only to feel a peck on his cheek and a slight touch of his hair. Arms held out slightly he watches in disbelief when she bypasses his attempt for a hug. Eager to retrieve the items from downstairs Skylar dismantles the lock and flings the door open. Sock clad feet almost trip her up as she darts down the hall.

"Stay right there I have something for you!" She calls. Stunned Nico stands there looking at the spot his girlfriend once stood. Isaac laughs at the expression on his face. Sitting on a folding chair the brunet watches him with a grin. Will on the other hand smirks walking over to mess up Nico's hair.  
  
"Seems like you were expecting something more than a peck." He teases much to Nico's annoyance. Swatting away Will's hand he backs away from the son of Apollo. His cheeks were faintly dusted in pink out of embarrassment. How dare Skylar leave him hanging like that. _This is why public displays of affection are stupid._ He thinks to himself stuffing his hands into his jacket pockets. Will attempts to make light conversation with the son of Hades as they wait for Skylar's return.  
  
Humming a soft tune Skylar heads to the kitchen opting to make a cup of tea before bringing Nico his gifts. Placing the kettle on the stove she looks out the window. As she waits for the water to boil Skylar hears Mr. Mackenzie walk past the kitchen bidding her a good night. Returning his departing words with her own she readies a mug placing a tea bag inside. Hesitating for a moment she retrieves three more from the cabinet deciding to make some for everyone. As if on autopilot Skylar prepares the tea. Placing a bowl of sugar on a tray along with the mugs she carries it into the living room but not before grabbing a reusable shopping bag.  
  
The warmth of the fire hits her instantly enveloping the blonde in a sense of security. Placing the tray on the coffee table she turns to the large Christmas tree in the corner. Retrieving the few remaining packages from under the tree she stuffs them into the shopping bag. Out of the corner of her eye she spots someone at the fireplace. Placing the final present into the bag Skylar turns her focus to the new arrival.  
  
"May I ask who you are?" The daughter of Apollo questions. Blue eyes examine the young girl sitting by the fire. A metal poker was in her hand as she tended to the flickering flames. She wore a simple dress made of brown fabric. A shawl made of white linen hung around her neck revealing mousy brown hair. Warm eyes shimmered in the firelight. The female's disposition made her seem much older than the eight year old body before Skylar.  
  
"You above all should recall who I am. Family is of utmost importance to you afterall." Her voice comes out pleasant. Wracking her brain she searches the archives for any hint on who the girl could be.  
  


 _A goddess I'm sure of it. She radiates a sense of calm and bears no ill will toward me. Being so close to the flames seem not to bother her either_. Skylar thinks to herself offering the young girl a cup of tea. "You're Hestia, goddess of hearth and home. It's a pleasure to meet you miss." She greets taking a seat across from the brunette. "I mean no disrespect but what brings you here?"

The boys would have to wait. If there was a goddess appearing in the Solace household it takes top priority. Hestia takes a sip from her cup. Silence falls upon the room save for the crackling fireplace. Skylar waits patiently for the goddess to speak. Ocean blue eyes stare into the liquid of her own mug.

"Danger is awaiting you and those you hold dear. I come to you with words of caution Skylar Solace. You were born with a gift, one that could turn the tide of an inevitable war between good and evil. Whether is be for better of worse is entirely up to you.” Hestia reaches over and grasps on of Skylar’s hands in her own. Unintentionally the blonde’s fingers begin to glow faintly upon contact.

“I knew that the battle at camp was just the beginning but from what you’re saying this war of ours will be sooner than we expect. If this power of mine is so unpredictable maybe it would be best if I refrained from using it in the future?” Skylar says softly. The last thing she’d ever want is for someone to be hurt accidentally.

“I will not tell you which course of action to take. When the time comes you’ll know what to do. Unlike most you have inseparable bonds with those you’ve allowed to touch your heart. Their voices will help to be your guide.” Hestia smiles as Skylar ponders her words. The daughter of Apollo did indeed cherish the ties she had with friends and family alike. They’ve taught it that no one person can do everything themselves. It was alright to rely on others sometimes. She was only human after all

“This...war we’re meant to fight. Is there anything else you can tell me about it or is there a limit on what you can tell me?” She asks.

“Even I do not know all the details. Only that demigods and gods alike will clash with the Titans. As we speak the opposing side continues to grow in numbers. Allies can be found in the strangest of places. Your friends may even have tricks of their own they’ve yet to play.”


	26. Late Night Chats

"Uhh guys? Skylar's been gone for a while right?" Isaac asks plucking the string of a guitar resting on its his stomach. He laid across the bench in front of the window growing bored by the minute.  
  
Will hums standing up from his seat on the piano bench. Stretching he feels a satisfying pop from his joints. "Maybe she got stopped by your dad while getting the presents." A light knock on the cracked door draws their attention. Ms. Solace pokes her head into the room.  
  
"Mr. Mackenzie and I have no problem with you kids staying up a little longer. Just not too late alright?" She requests with a calm smile. Her kind eyes fall on Nico. If she was surprised to see him she didn’t show it. "Hello again Nico you're welcome to sleep on the pull out couch downstairs. Just be sure to get plenty of blankets we're in for a chilly night."  
  
"Thank you ma'am I will." Nico replies politely.  
  
"Good night kiddos." Naomi smiles closing the door with a soft click.  
  
"Sky got me presents? I told her I didn't want anything." Nico sighs running a hand through his hair and walking to the door. "I'll get her." He waves halfheartedly to the other two leaving the room in search of Skylar. Nico made sure to leave the door cracked so they could get back inside. The locking system on it was unlike anything he’d ever seen before. _It's not like Skylar to get sidetracked_. Descending the stairs Nico hears hushed voices coming from the living room. One he could faintly make out to be his missing girlfriend. The other seemed vaguely familiar but he couldn't quite place it. Rounding the corner Nico is met with a sight he thought he'd never see.  
  
Skylar sat on the rug in front of the fire. A mug half drained of tea clutched between her fingers. Sitting across from her casually as if an old friend was the goddess of the hearth, Hestia. Sensing the presence of another Hestia turns her attention to Nico. Ceasing her current sentence Skylar looks as well. Wordlessly she pats a spot on the carpet beside her welcoming him to join. Accepting the invitation the son of Hades finds himself across the goddess. He'd met Hestia before at camp. Even had a pleasant conversation when no one else stopped to acknowledge her.  
  
"It's quite nice to see you again Nico." Hestia greets with a warm smile. Glancing sideways at Skylar he notices just how ashen her face had become. She was doing a poor job at trying to act calm.  
  
"You as well. I came to get Skylar since she was taking a while but I didn't mean to interrupt." Nico explains.  
  
"Nonsense, I've already said all that needed to be. That is unless Skylar has any questions." The goddess inquires placing her mug on the tray beside her.  
  
"No miss, I do appreciate you taking the time to come here. It was...an eye opener. I’ll do my best to relay the information to the right people." Skylar gives Hestia a grateful smile despite all the news she recieved. It wasn't her fault, she's just a messenger. "I hope we can do this again sometime."  
  
"I as well, now I must be off and do take into consideration what I've told you. Take care you two." With that Hestia vanishes in particles of light and ash leaving behind the two teens and a crackling fire.

Wasting no time Skylar drags the bag of Nico’s presents over and the duo head back upstairs to the music room. Shutting the door behind them, she hands Nico the bag sitting on the floor beside her brother resting her head on her knees. The dark-haired boy takes a seat across from the twins placing the gifts beside him. Isaac who lounged on the bench behind the twins turned on his side to watch.

“Ooh open the one from me first!” Isaac grins resting his head on top of Will’s. This action didn’t bother the son of Apollo but he still had a faint blush dusting his cheeks.

“We were about to just leave you guys down there and go watch tv.” Will informs his sister glancing over at her before looking back to Nico.

“Sorry about that, I had some business to take care of.” A soft smile is on Skylar’s face as Nico digs through the bag. Picking Up a soft package wrapped in bright fuschia he lets out a defeated sigh. _From Isaac I assume._ Peeling away the dreaded pink paper he finds a red t-shirt with cartoon dancing skeletons.

“Well what do you know, Isaac got you an actual gift despite what he told me.” Skylar’s voice pipes up. Isaac scoffs from his position on the bench. Of course he got the ghost king an actual gift. They were on better terms nowadays. Nico moves on to the next package he presumed to be from Will. Due to the vibrant yellow packaging and the name ‘Neeks’ written across the top.

“I didn’t get you guys anything.” Nico mumbles examining the plastic case in his hand. “What is this?” He questions showing the object to Skylar who lets out a soft laugh.

“It’s a cd you place it in a certain kind of machine and it plays music. I think Will forgot you’re from a time before most technology was made.” She smiles nudging her brother playfully. Will rubs the back of his neck bashfully. The son of Hades places the cd beside him. No doubt her brother put an array of songs on the disk that were his personal favorites. One thing she could agree with was that Will had pretty great taste in music despite not having much talent in that department himself.

“It’s no biggie that you didn’t get us anything. It’s not like we got you top of the line gifts.” Isaac chuckles. Two more small items later and Nico is down to his final present. So far he got a shirt from Isaac, a personalized cd from Will, a pocket photo album and pair of black socks both from Ms. Solace.

The rustling ceases as Nico stares down at the box in his hands. A look of disbelief is present on his face. “Sky you really didn’t have to get this for me.” he says in awe opening the package carefully to pull out the deck of cards. She presented him with the box set of Mythomagic cards he previously eyed in the mall all those months ago. His expression was that of an excited little boy and it filled her with nostalgia. Nico was still a nerd no matter how angsty he seemed. Skylar just watches him gush over the various cards as he begins to read off various names and attack powers. _Gods I love this boy._ She muses to herself. Isaac coughs hiding a smirk on his face and Will looks at her with a knowing look.

Feeling eyes on him Nico pauses in the midst of explaining the effects of a card and looks to the smitten face of his girlfriend. Coughing he blushes lightly regaining a bit of composure and packing up the cards. Reaching inside his jacket he produces a small lightweight box no bigger than Skylar’s hand. Passing it to the blonde he gestures for her to open it. Removing the lid she finds a charm in the shape of a crescent moon adjoined by a sun. It was silver in color and hung by a leather cord.

“The only person I’ve ever given a present to was Bianca so I wasn’t sure what to get you.” He says quietly playing with the ring on his finger nervously. _What if it isn’t good enough?_

“It’s absolutely perfect sweetpea.” Picking up the delicate necklace she notices words etched in the back of the charm. In familiar scrawl she knew to be Nico’s were words in a language foreign to her. “What do these words mean?” She questions turning the charm around with her fingers.

“Sei il mio sole, it means ‘you are my sun’ in Italian.” Nico translates and Skylar detects an accent as the words roll perfectly off of his tongue. He fidgets in his seat cheeks coated in a rosy hue.

“Your sun huh…I’ll take pride in that.” Shuffling forward Skylar nuzzles her face in his neck. She was so happy right now she could burst. All thoughts of war were pushed aside to enjoy this. Pressing a light kiss below his ear her arms wrap around his waist loosely. His fingers laced with hers as their heads rested against each other. The moment was perfect like out of those romantic movies Isaac made her watch.

That is until Will and Isaac decided to ruin the moment. “Hate to break up this little love fest but we’re still here.” Lifting her head from atop Nico’s Skylar sticks her tongue out at her brother. Will just shrugs shifting so his long legs stretched across the floor. His sock clad foot nudged his sister’s thigh.  

“Cut me a break man I’ve missed him.”

“Trust me we know. You’ve been moping that you wouldn’t get to see him for a while now. By the way can I have my glasses back?” Skylar removes the eyewear from her face tossing them over to Isaac who places them back onto his face. “Ahh, that’s better.”

Nico scrunches up his nose. “So you don’t need glasses? Then what’s the point?” He questions Skylar. Part of him wants to pull away from her embrace due to Isaac and Will’s prying eyes. Instead he opts to stay where he is drinking in the natural warmth her body radiated. _Just a little longer wouldn’t hurt._

“Just for looks although buddy boy’s eyesight has been hindered for months and conveniently forgot to tell me.” Skylar glares over to the brunet.

“Hey now, I told Will and just sort of forgot to ya know...tell you?” The son of Aphrodite shrugs sliding down to join the rest of them on the floor. After accepting the fact that they weren’t going to drag themselves to their bedrooms they brought pillows and blankets from the storage closet. So now they all laid in close proximity on the floor under a fort of pillows, sheets and pieces of furniture.

“Sky? What did Hestia discuss with you?” Nico’s voice comes out soft. His chocolate brown eyes gazed up at the ceiling. Gently he raked his fingers through Skylar’s hair who now had her head resting against his chest. Her blue eyes were closed and breathing steady but not yet asleep. Nico asked the dreaded question. Skylar knew she’d have to discuss it with them eventually just not at this moment. Conjuring a small ball of light in her hand she illuminates the area around them in a soft glow.

“Whoa wait, the same Hestia that’s the goddess of hearth, home and family? Just when did you meet her?” Isaac butts in leaning up on his elbows to look at the blonde. Hunter green eyes shine with curiosity in the dim lighting.

“Sis, mind filling us in?” Will asks folding his arms behind his head. Without meeting their gaze Skylar begins to go into detail summarizing the encounter.

“She...came to warn me. The battle at camp was just the opening act of something much bigger. Titans, gods and demigods will clash in one final great battle. There was a hint that some of our friends may already be aware of this and are working on preparations.” Skylar pauses sitting up and fiddling nervously with her fingers.

“I-I have this big decision to make in the future and I’m scared of making the wrong decision. Granted I still haven’t the foggiest idea what it is.What if I cost someone their life? W-what if I screw up an-” She cuts herself off the pressure beginning to get to her. Casualties are a given in a war but that didn’t mean she wanted to be the cause. Nico runs his fingers down her back gently. Skylar feels herself calming down from his touch.

“You won’t have to do it alone Skylar. Even if the whole world seems to be fighting against you the three of us will be by your side.” Nico gives her a slight smile.

“There’s no way we’d just leave you hanging after everything we’ve been through together. When the time comes we’ll be ready and follow your lead.” Isaac nods giving the blonde a toothy grin.

Will stayed silent for a bit processing the information. He was concerned on just how much time they would have to prepare. Sure he wasn’t counselor of the Apollo cabin but he did have his fair share of responsibilities. Would they have enough medical supplies? Could they gather enough weapons and other necessities in time? Shaking the thoughts away he decides to respond.

“Worrying about the inevitable won’t do any good. Let’s just focus on finishing this year of school. Once we’re back at camp we can call a meeting and draw up plans. That is if they haven’t already heard.” There it was, Will’s voice of reason. Calming down from her previous anxiety Skylar gives her brother a nod. She agreed with his plan and decided to heed his advice. Hestia did say that when the time came her friends and family would lead her to the right decision.

“What did I ever do to deserve you boys?” Skylar asks breathing a sigh of relief. Resting her head back onto Nico’s chest she prepares to get some sleep.

“I wonder that all the time.” Isaac jokes earning a kick in the leg by Will.

“Good night guys.” The blond yawns already curling up under his fluffy blanket. A chorus of ‘good night’ and ‘sweet dreams’ come from the other three. Soon enough they’re all sleeping peacefully under their pillow fort. No more worrying about the future nor what was in store. Just four innocent young teens taking each day in stride.


	27. Forgotten Belongings

The months that followed after that night seemed to pass in a blur. Shortly after New Years they said goodbye to Mr. Mackenzie who returned home. Despite he and Nico getting off on the wrong foot they were surprisingly tolerable of one another. Isaac blubbered like a baby but a few milkshakes and intense game sessions later he was back to his old self. About a week after his departure school resumed and much to everyone’s surprise Nico even began to attend. He only had extracurricular classes with the other three teens but they made it work. Avery, who became a good friend of Skylar’s, continued to grow closer to the group. With the exception of Nico. For some reason they just never saw eye to eye. Will and Isaac had their share of bonding moments but still weren’t dating much to Skylar’s disappointment.

So Skylar’s little group grew over time from just her and Will to welcoming Isaac, Nico and Avery. School wasn’t exactly easy for any of them but the group of five watched each other’s back. Before any of them realized it was their final day of school. After this they’d say goodbye to Avery and head home to finish some last minute packing. Not before making the most of their time left in Texas of course.

Stretching out her arms Avery glances over at Skylar from behind her sunglasses. Her black and blue streaked hair bounced as she walked. The girls were currently heading down the hall to meet up with the boys. Since their last day ended up being a half day they all planned to go into town for lunch. “So you’re all shipping off to some camp out of state? Seems pretty lame sounding to me.” She comments blowing a bubble with her gum.

“Will and I have been going for years. It’s kind of become like a second home to us so we enjoy it.” The blonde replies. By now most of the students have cleared out for the summer. This left the girls traversing through the halls relatively on their own. Skylar was running a bit behind as she had to empty out her locker and retrieve her archery equipment from the club room. A messenger bag filled with miscellaneous items was slung over her shoulder. Her case containing a bow and a few arrows locked with a padlock in one hand.

“Going to camp’s never really been my thing. I’d rather stay out of the sun and sleep my summer vacation away.” Avery chuckles pushing open the door of the main entrance. Isaac waves the girls over to where they gathered.

“You sound like Nico. He’d love nothing more than to sleep until one in the afternoon everyday.” Skylar snickers bouncing down the front steps and behind Nico as he leaned on a metal railing beside Will. She presses a kiss to his hair causing a blush to rise on his cheeks.

“About time you two got here. I’m starving.” Will comments messing up his sister’s hair. The five of them begin the trek downtown for some food.

“Sorry, I forgot I Ieft my bow in the club room. Had to go to the other side of the school for it and everything.” Skylar apologizes raising the case in her hand.

“So we all agreed on the Sal’s diner for some grub right? Since we’ve basically become regulars there. They have the best milkshakes in town.” Isaac asks as they wait for the light to change so they can safely cross the street.

“Milkshakes for you guys anyway. In case you forgot I’m lactose intolerant. So a nice root beer and sandwich shall suffice.” Avery says walking alongside the brunet as they’re given the go ahead. Skylar grips Nico’s hand as they cross the street. He’s about to protest that he isn’t a child when he notices just how congested the area ahead is becoming. Will falls back slightly to fall into pace beside his sister. It seemed Isaac in the middle of explaining a webcomic about trolls with colorful blood. Something Skylar heard him talk about on multiple occasions but never got the chance to look up. The brunet’s hands were gesturing wildly in the air out of sheer enthusiasm. The tio bringing up the rear continued to listen to him but Avery listened more intently. She even made a few comments on the subject herself.

“Call me paranoid but I swear the guy wearing a fedora a few paces behind us has been following us since we left school.” Skylar whispers to her brother who subtly glances back. Sure enough a tall man wearing a trench coat and beat up brown fedora stood near them. Currently he stopped in front of a window display but his eyes seemed to be everywhere but on the merchandise.

“Let’s just ignore him for now and keep walking. It’ll be bad if we cause a scene in front of all these people.” Nico urges them to continue walking through the crowd to the neon sign not too far away. As if on cue the man departs from the display trailing after the teens at a distance. Isaac throws the glass door open holding it for his group to walk inside. As Will walks across the threshold the brunet releases his grip to follow his blond friend to a booth.

Avery slides into the half circle booth first followed by Nico and Skylar. On the other end Isaac sits down moving further in so Will can sit on the end. Successfully trapping Avery between Nico and Isaac much to the brunet’s enjoyment. They may be friends with similar interests but that didn’t stop the son of Aphrodite from teasing her when he can. Not long after they’re seated a peppy waitress comes by with menus. “Hello dears, any plans for summer vacation?” She questions handing them each a menu.

“We’re going to a summer camp out of state. Avery isn’t though so you might see her pop in every now and then. If she stays out of trouble anyway.” Skylar smirks despite the glare Avery sends her way.

“Hey it’s not my fault I’m a misunderstood person.” She defends reaching over Nico to smack Skylar with her menu. The blonde just laughs swatting away her attack. Scowling the son of Hades shifts closer to Skylar away from the dark-haired girl. He only tolerated her for Skylar’s benefit. There was just something about her that rubbed him the wrong way.

“I’ve been ready to go back since we first started school. Hopefully my fellow cabin mates haven’t stolen anything.” Isaac jokes.

“How’s work been Poppy? The boss still treating you right?” Will questions the enthusiastic waitress. In all the time they’ve spent in this establishment Poppy has always been their favorite. She was a young woman no older than twenty five. Her curly auburn hair was always pulled into a ponytail. It went nicely with her mocha skin and light brown eyes. Poppy even made the mustard yellow uniform she was forced to wear look striking.

“I can’t complain, not when I get such darling customers such as yourselves. Boss even gave me a raise not too long ago.” She giggles pinching Skylar’s cheek playfully as she was sitting closest to the young woman. “I’ll be behind the counter just call for me when you’re ready.” She gives them a bit of time to decide before bounding off to wipe down the main counter. Excluding their group there were only a couple of other people seated at tables. It was an odd sight seeing as it was lunch time. A grandmother and her grandson sat in one corner. In the center at the bar was a police officer sipping a cup of steaming coffee. A half eaten sandwich sat in front of him as he read the newspaper. Over by the entrance was a middle-aged woman talking loudly on her cell phone.

“I see she hasn’t changed.” Avery comments lifting her sunglasses to look at the menu.  

“I would hope not, Poppy’s the reason we keep coming back here. Well for her and the affordable food.” Will says.

“I’m gonna put on some tunes to drown out miss loudmouth. If Poppy comes back before I do just get me my usual.” Skylar tells Will jingling some quarters in her hand. Sliding out of the booth she walks over to the jukebox in the center of the retro diner.

Humming quietly she inserts the necessary amount of money and flicks through the songs. Deciding on some oldies she presses the correct buttons. As the first song begins to play the bell over the door chimes signalling someone either exiting or entering. Poppy greets the new customer cheerfully then begins to sing along quietly to the music. Turning to return to her friends Skylar almost collides with a tall figure.

“Oh goodness! I’m really sorry sir!” She apologizes sliding past the man to walk the rest of the way to her seat. A hand grasps her upper arm halting her movement. Nico looks up from the table raising a concerned brow at the blonde. With a slight shake of her head she faces the man taking note of the sizable scar across his nose. The majority of his face was covered in wiry facial hair. Letting out a grunt but no actual words he holds out a relatively familiar handkerchief. He motions for Skylar to hold out her hand. She obeys and he drops the smooth fabric into her awaiting hand. Releasing her arm the man walks back out the door before she even has time to thank him. Processing everything that happened Skylar turns on her heel and walks back to her waiting friends.

“Isn’t that the same man that was following us?” Will questions as soon as his sister plops into her seat beside Nico. The dark haired boy examines her with his eyes. He saw the man approach Skylar and wanted to ensure she was unharmed. His fingers brushed against her arm from under the table. Giving him a side smile she laces his fingers with hers.

“Someone was following us and you didn’t say anything?” Avery hisses at the twins who merely shrug. They didn’t want to draw attention and if Isaac got word he might of overreacted. The son of Aphrodite had a habit of drawing unwanted attention to them in public. He means no harm it just seems to happen.  

“Yeah...he just returned my handkerchief to me but didn’t say anything.” Skylar mumbles showing Will the small white cloth with her initials stitched in red string.

“So you dropped it and he was returning it. What’s so wrong with that?” Isaac questions while cleaning his glasses on his shirt.

“Normally I wouldn’t be so skeptical but something about it just doesn’t add up.” She lowers her voice, pausing the conversation so Poppy could set down their orders. She scurries off to assist another group that came in right after setting the last plate down. The boss of this joint sure kept her on her toes. Isaac slurps down his milkshake with a heavenly look on his face as Will reminds him of proper table manners. Each of them settled for their usual orders. Isaac with his large chocolate shake, double cheeseburger and fries. Avery chose a veggie burger and root beer as her beverage. Will went for a chocolate sundae accompanied by a BLT. Over their past visits Skylar learned not to force Nico to order anything. Instead she allows him to pick what he wants from her plate.

“Stop beating around the bush will you?” Avery asks stirring her root beer around with a straw. She reached across the table to steal one of Isaac’s fries ignoring his fit of protest. Will takes a few of his own from Skylar’s plate as she offers them dunking the salty food into his ice cream.

“I lost it a while ago.” Skylar twirls the folded fabric around in her fingers with a slight frown. “At the mall during that whole bomb threat incident.” At least that’s what the news had claimed it to be. Only a select few knew the truth behind the monster attack. A loud snort comes from Isaac followed by a coughing fit. Will reaches over to pat his back while Avery pulls napkins from the dispenser. Milk started to dribble from the brunet’s nose and the dark-haired girl throws them at him in slight disgust. Letting out a sigh Will helps the boy gather his bearings. Despite Isaac’s little mishap nobody in the diner so much as glanced in their direction. In fact the longer they sat and talked the emptier the diner seemed to become. The police officer had long since disappeared as did the woman who chatted loudly on her mobile device. All that was left were Skylar’s group, a table full of obnoxious older teenagers and the elderly woman with her grandson.

“So you’re wondering how he managed to get his hands on it and figure out who’s it was in a sea of people.” Nico summarizes with an unreadable expression. Something on the handkerchief catches his eye and he removes it from Skylar’s grasp. Unfolding the fabric he reveals words written in black ink.

Having recovered from his coughing fit Isaac leans closer as Nico lays it on top of the table. Intrigued Will traces one of the words with his finger. He recognized most of the letters to be from the Latin language. Skylar peeks over Nico’s shoulder while sipping from her straw. She could vaguely decipher a few words. _Death. Sacrifice. Treachery. Whatever the full passage is it isn’t sunshine and dandelions that’s for sure._


	28. Turn of Events

“The guy didn’t have to go and deface my property.” Skylar huffs reaching over to grab the handkerchief before Avery can get a glimpse. “It’s not like any of us can read this anyway. Probably just his idea of a sick joke to scare us.” Exchanging a look with Nico, she tucks it safely inside her jean pocket.

“Yeah we ca- ow!” Isaac yelps drawing his leg back. Nico shoots him a glare after successfully aiming a kick to his shin. He glances over at Avery who lost interest in the conversation and silently tells the brunet to keep his lips sealed. Giving him a sympathetic look Skylar finishes the last of her milkshake as Nico chews on the remainder of her fries. Will hums to himself stirring the melted ice cream in his glass. A look of concentration evident on his face.

Poppy rushed into the kitchen away from the wolf whistling teenagers she was previously attending to. Her boss, a large man known by the name Sal, storms out from the kitchen with a frying pan. He slams the pan onto the table of boys with so much force it startles one of them to fall to the floor. Threatening words Skylar never thought she’d hear in her life were spouting from the man’s lips. Whatever they were saying to Poppy really had the man riled up. Terrified of angering the man further the group hastily slams money down on the table and scurries out of the diner. After making sure they’re all gone Sal goes to the elderly woman and her grandson in the corner of the restaurant to apologize for the disturbance and give them their meal on the house.

Returning from the kitchen a few minutes later, Poppy settles down in the booth beside Will. The blond boys rests his hand on the woman’s back as she forces back tears. Each of them flash her a look of concern. “I’m sorry you all had to see that. T-those ingrates were being so rude and I couldn’t stand it!” She vents placing her head on the table. “Just the nerve of some people. Eyeing up woman like they’re meat presented on a silver platter!”

“Don’t mind us Poppy. It was awesome seeing Sal threaten them with a frying pan.” Skylar tells the auburn-haired woman with a smirk.

“We take the saying don’t mess with Texas pretty seriously.” Avery inputs, cracking her knuckles for emphasis

“Are you alright though?” Isaac frowns with his green eyes set on Poppy.

Sitting up she wipes her eyes with a nod. “Don’t you go worrying about me darling. This ol’ girl is pretty tough.” Sal, having finished his business walks over to their table. He informs Poppy to take the rest of the day off and that he’ll pay her for it all. Placing the open sign to closed he begins to clean up. Skylar pulls out her wallet footing the bill for everyone and giving Poppy her well deserved tip.

“Being as I am officially off the clock how about I accompany you kids to the park? I could use a bit of fresh air and you kids should have a chaperone. At least until your mother finishes up her work.” Poppy says after rising to her feet.

“Sure, we appreciate your company.” Will smiles warmly.

“Great! I’ll change really fast and meet you all outside in a jiffy.” Skylar nods at the woman as she leaves them alone. Gathering all their things the five of them walk out the diner door to wait on the sidewalk.  

“Thanks for covering for me Sky, I’ll pay you back when I can.” Isaac smiles slightly as they move out of the way of oncoming walkers. Avery thanks her as well leaning against a lamp post as they wait for Poppy.

“Don’t worry about it bud. I have plenty of money from that archery competition.” She shrugs showing it really wasn’t a big deal. Her hand instinctively finds Nico’s and Skylar notices just how quiet the son of Hades has been. Ever since he revealed the words written on her handkerchief he hasn’t spoken. His chocolate brown eyes were troubled, eyebrows furrowed in concentration. She’d be sure to ask him about it later. Right now wasn’t the time nor place.

“Shoot guys I totally forgot I was grounded. I need to go before my dad realizes I didn’t come straight home after school.” Fixing her sunglasses Avery turns to her friends. Amber eyes flickered from person to person beneath the dark shades.

“I’m not one for goodbyes so... don’t be strangers and I’ll see you when I see you okay?” She chuckles scuffing her sneaker against the pavement. Her amber eyes widen from beneath her glasses as Skylar gives her a hug. Giving in Avery wraps her arms around the blonde. What could she say? Skylar did give the best hugs.

“Don’t you forget about us!” In a flash the two girls are bombarded by Isaac and Will who squish them together in a group hug. Nico awkwardly stands off to the side not one to be a part of cheesy goodbyes. Having none of it Will yanks the brooding teen over by his collar into the embrace. Rolling his eyes Nico reluctantly joins. Grumbling to himself about how it was stupid.

Pulling away they say their final farewells watching as Avery walks to the end of the street until she disappears around the corner where her apartment building was. None of them have cell phones like their mortal friend to keep in touch. However Skylar gave her an email she created to contact in case of an emergency. She’d be able to access it using Annabeth’s laptop at camp. Only when the daughter of Athena wasn’t working of course.

Crumbling the slip of paper Avery tosses it onto the ground. She wouldn’t be in need of it anyway. Whipping out her cell phone she dials a number she’s frequented over the past months. The cell phone charm resembling a scythe swaying from her movements.

It rang a few times before the other line is picked up. There’s no greeting however she never expects one to give updates. “Tell the king my work is done. Pretending to be a mortal has been wretched. I’ve gathered all the information on them I could without blowing my cover. They slipped up quite a lot it was almost child’s play. That Skylar sure trusts too easily all the easier to exploit. The relationships she worked so hard to maintain will be her demise.  I’ll be sending the data over soon.”

“Good. All according to plan. Return to headquarters our king will be pleased with this new development.” The call ends and Avery places the phone back into her pocket. Whistling a tune the dark-haired girl continues down the sidewalk as if nothing had happened. Feeling no remorse on what might befall her so called friends in the future Avery grins from under her hood. The teenagers Sal previously kicked out of his restaurant passed by her giving a nod which she returns. Their faces halfway morphed in that of a wolf’s. _Not my problem anymore. I’m free as a bird._


	29. Fight or Flight

Now dressed in a simple yellow sundress and white flats, Poppy joins up with them. Her curly auburn hair laid freely on her shoulders pulled out of her face by a white headband. Will informed her of Avery’s departure as they began the journey to the park. The woman frowns at the news her nose scrunching up.

“Well it’s a shame that I missed her. Hopefully she’ll stop by the diner sometime.” Poppy says walking through the large iron archway of the town’s park. Nico and Skylar part from the group to go on a walk on their own. There were some things she wanted to discuss with him privately. Staring straight ahead as they walk Skylar starts the conversation.

“What did it say.” It wasn’t a question more of a demand that was met with silence. The handkerchief from the diner was clutched in her right hand. Training her blue eyes on the son of Hades she continues. “Nico I know you can read Latin. What did the passage say?” Skylar pesters squeezing his hand with her own.

“Sometimes it’s best to remain oblivious. Just forget you ever saw it Skylar.” Nico grumbles removing his hand from her grasp. He stops walking, chocolate brown eyes glaring up at her.

“I won’t and you know it.” She returns his glare with one of her own standing in front of him. “Either you tell me or I’ll have Annabeth help me when we get to camp.” Skylar threatens poking Nico in the chest with her finger.

Nico presses his fingers to his temples letting out a frustrated sigh at his hard headed girlfriend. “....I’ll tell you but you may not like it.”

“Lay it on me di Angelo.”

“This is serious Skylar. It was a warning.” He scowls and they begin to walk again.

“As I am aware. From what I made out there will be death, sacrifice and treachery. Sounds lovely.” Skylar rolls her eyes.

“If you know that much why are we having this discussion?” Nico questions with a hint of sass. His insides churned as he wanted him to spill the beans. Swallowing the bile rising to his throat he translates.

“Child of the sun, manipulator of light. Lives shall come to an untimely end. A major sacrifice will determine your future. Confidants may very well betray you. Beware death for it shall reap your soul in its darkest moment.” The son of Hades recites watching as Skylar processes the information.

“I...see…” Her ocean blue eyes cloud as she clenches her fists. In all honesty she was relieved in an odd way. Child of the sun could of meant anyone in the Apollo cabin, including her own twin. Which is why the manipulator of light eased her worries even if only slightly. Skylar would prefer to put herself in danger rather than one of her siblings. Especially Will. If something were to happen to him...it’s best not to think about that possibility.

“Sky, I’d never let anything take you from me.” Hands are placed upon the blonde’s cheeks. For once his face wasn’t flushed from public displays of affection. Nico’s words were genuine and it made Skylar’s heart flutter in her chest. “This could be nothing but a false warning to make us turn on each other.” Nico reasons earning a nod of agreement from the blonde. She wouldn’t put it past Kronos to use dirty tactics. If they were to take him down they needed to stick together no matter what. It may just be best if they forget all about it. Walking over to the nearest trash can Skylar takes one last look at the folded cloth. Taking a deep breath she disposes of it. With her friends by her side she’d overcome any obstacle.

Finding a nice shade tree to sit under a couple of hours are wasted away. Skylar and Poppy sang duets together occasionally drawing an audience. Isaac decided to sketch his surroundings to pass the time. He may or may not of drawn a certain oblivious blond boy that sat not too far away engrossed in a mystery novel. Nico fell asleep with his head in Skylar’s lap. Her fingers gently running through his messy obsidian locks having stopped singing some time ago. Every once and a while his body would twitch as if having a nightmare but would relax feeling her touch. In due time Naomi Solace would be picking them up to go home. Poppy insisted on staying with the children until she arrived. She claimed it would put her mind at ease especially as the sun began to set and the street lamps turned on.

“Well aren’t you two just the cutest little things.” Poppy gushes at the couple. This causes Skylar’s cheeks to flush red.

“T-thanks Poppy. He...really means a lot to me.” She can’t help but smile fondly down at the sleeping boy in her lap. Pale fingers gripped onto her jacket. Soft puffs of air came from his slightly parted chapped lips. Nico’s face was partially buried in her stomach, his closed eyes just barely visible through the bedhead. Her lips press a loving kiss onto his head eliciting a cute noise from the son of Hades.

The girls are interrupted by the same teenagers from Sal’s diner as they saunter up the hill surrounding the teens and young woman. Five in total. They blocked off any means of escape. Isaac frowns setting his drawing materials on the ground beside him getting to his feet. Will eyes the boys following Isaac’s lead. Skylar pinches Nico’s cheek to wake him up. The son of Hades is angry for being woken up so abruptly until he sees why. He sits up eyeing his backpack where his sword was stored. His arm reflexively pushed Skylar behind him as a means of protecting her as they were corralled. Poppy goes to stand in front of the children only to be pushed back by the closest goon.

“Don’t go trying to be a hero dollface.” The boy grins creepily pulling his hood down. He licks his lips eyeing her up and down as if she was a meal. His tongue was unusually large for a human’s. Teeth as sharp as a wolf’s canines. It was as if they dared the kids to move. Like it was a game to them. Golden eyes shined in the afternoon sun. As luck would have it, they were the only ones left in the park.

“Werewolves.” Skylar breathed the word before she could stop herself. Poppy glanced to the blonde out of the corner of her eye. Could she be imagining things? Surely that had to be the case from the fear she imagined the young girl was feeling. If not then her assumptions really were true all along. The leader of the group seemed to like that Skylar made the connection.

“Well, well it seems like this little lady can see us for who we are.” With a loud howl the morphing began. Sickening cracks echo through the air as bones snap into place to better suit their true forms. Fur sprouted from every inch of their body. Clothes shredding as they became larger in size. Their faces now that of a wolf’s. Large claws suitable for tearing flesh adorned their paws. Saliva dripped from their mouths amidst rows of razor sharp teeth.

Will chews on his bottom lip trying to devise a plan. From his knowledge of monsters he knew none of their weapons would be enough to kill the werewolves. Bronze, gold and steel were useless. A realization dawns on him as Isaac’s locket catches his eye. Silver. The edges of Isaac’s blade are dipped in bronze but a good clean slice would still be enough to end the beasts before them.

Isaac made the first move before Will could advise him. Poppy yelled for him to stay back. Her plea went unnoticed as the brunet lunged into action attempting to slice the closest werewolf. His axe cuts through the air missing its mark by a small fraction. A kick to his stomach pushes him back, his sneakers skidding along the grass. Skylar slips past Nico’s raised arm and conjuring light into her palms. Growls resound in the air as the werewolves advance. Throwing her hands to the sky a force field surrounds the five of them momentarily protecting them from  attacks.

“We need a plan and fast!” The blonde yells wincing as the beasts rapidly slash at her barrier. Nico retrieves his sword holding it at the ready for when Skylar’s protection inevitably breaks.

“Is there any way you can shadow travel us out of here?” Isaac questions gripping his silver axe with both hands.

“No. I can’t transport all of us at one time and I only have about one trip in me right now.” Nico replies glaring ahead.

Will instantly goes to Skylar’s archery case smashing the lock with a nearby rock. The bow she used for competitions was inside along with ten arrows. Notching an arrow he aims it in the direction of a werewolf. “Then we have no choice but to fight our way out.”

Poppy who was eerily quiet through most of this ordeal finally speaks up. “I-I always had my suspicion about you children but never thought it would be true. I prayed. I hoped I was wrong, that you weren’t Demigods.” She whispers shaking her head in disbelief. “You have to run, there’s no way you’ll be able to take them on!” Her words are met with a strangled smile by Skylar. Her arms began to shake

“It’s a little late for that now sweetpea!” She grunts. Small hairline cracks were beginning o etch across the force field. “Besides, we’re trained for this.” More slams countered her defense over and over again.

This continued until a hole the size of a basketball appears knocking Skylar backwards onto the ground due to the impact. Out of other options she summons Spitfire from her ring. Crouching on the ground she grips the weapon as a clawed hand bears down on her. Rolling to the side Skylar jabs the bow’s tip deep into the monster's calf watching its blood ooze from the wound. Nico rushes in behind Skylar to assist. Slashing upward with his sword he makes a sizable gash in the beast. Despite the wound it continues to attack. They truly would not go down without silver in their possession. The only one that had a weapon capable of killing them was currently fighting for his own life.

Isaac on the other hand had his own share of problems as did Will. The duo stood back to back as two beasts stalked toward them. Will pulls back the bowstring releasing an arrow into one of the Lycanthrope’s eyeballs. It howls in pain backpedaling leaving itself open for attack. Isaac seizes the opportunity swapping places with Will to slice his axe through the monster’s chest. As if slicing through butter the blade glides through easily successfully bringing it to its demise. Turning back to his previous opponent Isaac growls.

“Only cowards ambush people in packs.” If he wanted to make the beast furious he succeeded. Claws slash at the two boys so fast they barely jump out of the way in time. Will fires another arrow embedding it in the monster’s back followed by one more. It howls swinging around knocking the blond off his feet. Tumbling to the ground Will loses his grip on the bow. Ducking under another attack Isaac slices clean through the arm severing it from the body. The son of Aphrodite doesn’t stop there. Another swing of the silver axe and the werewolf loses its head.

  
Gathering his bearings Will retrieves his weapon shooting what remaining arrows he has into his friend’s target. The bowstring snaps in mid fire slicing the skin open on his finger. Wincing he throws the now useless bow down picking up his final arrow. Nico struggled against a foe much larger than him. Claws bared down onto his sword pressing the son of Hades almost onto his knees. Will runs up behind the monster jamming his last arrow into the lower back of it’s hairy body. While its eyes were focused on Will, Nico took his chance to break away. Ripping his sword from the beast’s clutches he slices the stygian iron into the grotesque flesh. Now weaponless Will falls back.

A war cry comes from Poppy as she jumps atop the head werewolf. The metal chopsticks she always wore at the diner were grasped between her fingers. She jabs the accessories deep into the monster’s flesh. Blood sprays from the neck staining her clothes. It wasn’t enough to down the beast. Angered, the leader of the pack slams Poppy into the ground knocking the air from her lungs. His claws dug into her flesh. Screams of agony rip from her throat from the pain. The woman registers someone screaming her name and the Lycanthrope leaves her alone for the time being. Blood poured from the hole in her stomach.

“Hey bastard your fight is with me!” Skylar shouts slashing at the werewolf with Spitfire’s sharp edges. Laughing at her attempts it swats her weapon clean out of her hand. Clicking her tongue she conjures two daggers out of light and solidifies them. Dodge rolling behind the hairy beast she stabs them directly into its calf muscles pulling them upward to rip deeper into the flesh.

An arm swings around smashing into Skylar’s face sending her body into a tree. Pain flares up the blonde's back as she slumps against the tree trunk. Coughing wracks her form and she wipes the blood from her split lip. Claws close around her slender neck lifting her off the ground. "I'll...make your death slow and...painful right in front of your dear little friends." The beast growls. Its putrid breath assaulted her nose as her hands clawed desperately at its paw. Skylar's throat was constricting, the air supply she had access to now depleting with each passing moment. Dragging its other hand across her side she feels the claws tear through her jacket and pierce the skin drawing blood. The warm crimson substance slides down her leg sticking to her clothes.

Suddenly the tip of a weapon pierces through the chest of the monster as it is stabbed from behind. The hold around the blue-eyed female loosens. Skylar falls into the grass filling her lungs with air once more. "Don't you touch her." A voice growls viciously ripping the sword from the body. Sputtering incoherently the beast falls to its knees. In one swift motion the head is removed from the body by an axe rolling across the ground before bursting into golden dust along with its body. Skylar watches the dust carry far away on the wind before her blue eyes rest upon her savior.

“Your timing is impeccable.” She wheezes as Nico kneels by her side. She presses a hand firmly to her wound a soothing light coming from it. Isaac faces the last two remaining werewolves with a look of pure hatred. Something the daughter of Apollo thought she’d never see from Isaac. As if sensing their impending death the remaining Lycanthropes turn tail and run back the way they came. Will is beside Poppy doing all he can to help the auburn-haired woman. Shouts of alarm come from the bottom of the hill as Ms. Solace starts running to them.

With Nico’s help Skylar sits on the other side of Poppy. She ceases her own healing in an attempt to save her. “Poppy, y-you’re going to be okay.” She whispers tears welling up in her blue eyes.

“D-don’t waste your strength o-on me dears. I’m t-too far gone.” Poppy whispers hoarsely. Shakily she lifts her arms removing the bracelet on her wrist. She drops the piece of jewelry onto Skylar’s lap. “I-I lived longer than people like us u-usually do.” Coughing wracks her body.

“Save your strength, please. Skylar and I can help you just...” Will urges her to stop speaking chewing on his bottom lip.

“Let her speak.” Nico says quietly. Isaac clenched his fists turning his eyes away from the dying woman.

“I was...n-never a camper myself. The group I-I ran with used to visit i-instead. We p-preferred to travel. They were...family.” Poppy lets out another cough blood tainting her lips. She didn’t have much time left. “B-but I fell in l-love and left the life I knew…giving up immortality.” Her eyes began to flutter closed much to the twins’ alarm. “I’ll finally be....reunited with...him.” Poppy utters her final words the last of her breath leaving her body.

“Poppy? No, no Poppy please! Y-you can’t die!” Skylar cries clutching the woman’s hand between her own. Tears spilled down her freckled cheeks as she let out an agonized sob.

Isaac chokes back tears falling to his knees. His hands pressed into his face. Will removes his hands away from Poppy’s stomach. They were now coated in sticky red liquid. Sky blue eyes stare down at them as water droplets fell into his lap. Nico bit harshly onto his lip placing a hand onto Skylar’s back as she mourned. Ms. Solace yells in alarm rushing over to the children. She places a hand over her mouth in horror looking over at Poppy. Out of respect for the deceased their friend’s face was now covered by the shredded remains of Skylar’s jacket.

“M-mom? We can’t just leave her.” Skylar says, her voice barely above a whisper. She sat leaning against Nico his fingers ghosting against the bruises forming on her neck. Her sun kissed skin was becoming a sickening purplish color.

“We should of known...If we just payed more attention to them in the diner she would still…” Isaac rubs at his eyes.

“I could of done more...given her a chance to escape o-or something.” Will mutters running a hand through his hair.

“She passed on without any regrets. Don’t make her sacrifice be in vain.” Nico’s words are sharp drawing the others from their self pity.

Ms. Solace had no choice but to call the police and report the incident. With the help of the children they stash away their weapons inside her car. Removing as much evidence as possible the group waits for the police. Using a rag and water bottle she found Ms. Solace gently wipes the blood off Will’s hands. Isaac retrieved the first aid kit from the trunk of the car. Popping it open they all set to work covering various injuries. Skylar tended to the wound on her side stemming the bleeding with her powers and suturing the slash marks. After she finished she slid Nico’s jacket sleeve up disinfecting the cut on his forearm and wrapping it in white gauze.

Isaac suffered more bruises than anything. A significant bruise on his stomach made him wince if he moved too quickly. Various bandages littered his arms and legs from shallow cuts. Will sustained a head injury. Fluffy gauze wrapped around his wavy blond hair. In reality they would've waited for the paramedics to see to their injuries. However with Skylar bleeding and Will fading in and out of consciousness it was best to do it themselves. Sirens closed in on their location. Police vehicles rushed onto the scene.

They each answered questions asked to them by the police. Knowing very well they couldn’t say werewolves the young teens made it seem like there were muggers. It went on to be said how each of them tried fighting them off only resulting in their injuries and Poppy’s demise. The police seemed to buy it believing the slash marks to be from a large knife and the fact that Skylar’s belongings were strewn about and broken into. Apparently there has been some gang activity lately and the children were victims of an attack. The teens could only manage to say so much before being overcome with grief. Skylar clutches Poppy’s bracelet close to her chest. She examined each metal charm and colorful bead. Each bead vaguely reminding her of those on her camp necklace back home.

Finally being released from questioning the young teens all piled into Naomi Solace’s car. Exhausted Skylar and Nico rest their heads atop one another their eyes falling closed. Isaac climbs into the passenger seat his head instantly meeting the window. Will slumps in his seat his head falling on Skylar’s shoulder. Soft snores emitting from him almost instantly. Starting the car Ms. Solace drives into the night. As a parent she was glad the children were safe. Deep down she blamed herself for not being there for them. If work hadn’t held her up maybe this all could of been prevented.

When asked how she knew Poppy, Skylar gave this reply. “She was a good friend that didn’t deserve to have her life taken. Her life had finally became one of peace and it was thoughtlessly ripped away from her far too soon by scum.” Feeling numb she gets into her mother’s car along with Isaac, Will and Nico. Ms. Solace pulls away from the park driving home in silence. They would all process this loss differently. Some will cry. Others will scream at the world saying that it was unfair. No matter which they’d stick together consoling one another when needed. The world lost not only a bright young woman but one that defied the odds. Yes, the world lost a Hunter.


	30. Premonitions

_Skylar found herself in a dimly lit forest. The leaves ruffled gently in the breeze. Twigs snapping in the shadows puts her on high alert. An arrow is notched in her bow waiting for the target to appear. Footsteps slowly approached her location and Ortus reared up on his back legs with a sense of unease. She’d only ever seen him do that once before._

_“Skylar.” A hoarse voice speaks from the shadows before revealing its owner. Ortus stomped on the dirt in displeasure as the boy appeared. His all black clothing blended in with the darkness. A complete contrast to Skylar’s floral top, green jacket and light colored jeans. Chocolate brown eyes bore a hole through her body. He made no move to draw closer to the blonde. One hand rested on the trunk of a tree._

_“Neeks I almost shot you.” She lowers her bow walking over to the dark haired boy._

_“D-don’t come any closer!” He coughs covering his mouth with his hand. Concern washes over her and she advances despite his protest. Nico falls to his knees one hand still over his mouth. Skylar places one hand on his back as he continues to cough._

_“Nico what happened to you?” Skylar questions concern washing over her. His face was paler than usual. Sweat built up on his forehead as if he was running a fever. Her hand lays on his chest to lay him down and Nico lets out a heart wrenching cry. Alarmed she swiftly removes it to find a sticky red substance coating the palm. Blood? It stained through his dark shirt through a hole. One directly above his heart._

_“I feel...cold. W-why did you do this t-to me?” Letting out another cough Nico splatters blood onto the female’s shirt and face. He slumps forward and Skylar rushes to catch him. Placing him gently on the ground her hands glow in their signature healing light._

_“I-I didn’t...Nico you’re going to be alright just...please hang on. D-don’t leave me Neeks.” Skylar pleas her eyes filling with tears. The wound wouldn’t heal. Choked sobs shake her body as Nico’s eyes begin to close. Blood pours from the injury in his chest, his breathing slowing._

_“You chose...this.” Nico says with his final breath. Eyes now fully closed and chest still, Skylar lifts his body onto her lap. Clutching his body close she weeps into his hair. Crimson liquid stained her hands, clothes, and the ground. She cries out his name not wanting to believe he was gone. Her will to bring him back fell on deaf ears. The son of Hades was dead, never to walk this earth again._

Waking with a start Skylar clutches at her chest. She could feel her heart pounding a mile a minute through the thin fabric of her shirt. Her cheeks were stained with tears. In one swift motion the blond flings the blankets from her body and leaves the confines of her bedroom. Walking lightly down the hall Skylar descended the stairs. Slipping into the kitchen she instantly sets to work in getting a glass of water. Her hands shook with every motion, the glass slips from her hand falling into the sink but not shattering. The noise was loud enough to stir someone from their slumber in the next room. Letting out whispered curses in Ancient Greek the blonde grips the edge of the counter. Her head was beginning to pound and the fear from her nightmare still gripped at her heart.

“Sky? What are you doing in here?” Nico yawns sleepily rubbing at his eyes. His underlying Italian accent came out having just woken up. If she wasn’t so shaken up she would of awed at how cute he looked. Tears trickled down her cheeks and the son of Hades crosses the tile flooring. His hands reach up to cup her cheeks wiping away the droplets.

“A nightmare?” Skylar nods her head. “Do you want to talk about it?” A shake of her head. “Alright, come with me.” Taking the girl’s hand in his own Nico leads Skylar back to her bedroom. He sits her on the bed and she lays down. The son of Hades follows suit setting one arm around her waist and pulling the blankets over them both. His other arm rubs soothing circles on her back.

“T-thank you Nico.” Skylar whispers snuggling closer to his body. A light blush blossoms on his face at the contact. Kissing the top of her head Nico stays up waiting until the blue-eyed girl falls into a more pleasant sleep. Once her breathing evens out his own eyes close lulling him back to slumber. Whatever had shaken up his girlfriend so much could be discussed another time. For now they’d sleep peacefully safe in each other’s arms.

It was always hard for the twins to say goodbye to their mother. Especially given the fact that they attended a funeral only two hours prior. It wasn’t a large ceremony. Save for their group, Sal from the diner attended along with two of Poppy’s friends. Each of them were still dressed for the occasion not having enough time to change at home before the flight. The boys each donning dress shirts and black jeans. Nico never felt more uncomfortable. His usual messy hair was combed neatly. Skylar wore a black short sleeved blouse with a matching skirt, tights and flats. Poppy’s bracelet jingled on her wrist. She wore the piece of jewelry in honor of the woman.

They never knew when the next time they would see Naomi Solace. With her busy schedule of making music for the world it was a miracle they managed to come home for one school year. Which is why both children sported unshed tears as they embraced their parent. Even Isaac and Nico could feel the sadness radiating from the normally cheerful family. Kissing each of them on the head Naomi releases her children.

“Now I don’t have to remind you Will but make sure your sister behaves. Skylar you keep an eye on your brother and make sure he doesn’t overwork himself.” Ms. Solace begins to sniffle.

“Hey! I do behave, have a little faith in me. Enough with the goodbyes mom or I’ll start crying.” Skylar whines rubbing at her eyes. They were already ringed in red from earlier today.

“Y-yeah we’ll see you the next time you get a break. I can’t promise we’ll stay out of trouble but…” Will drifts off seeing it’s best he doesn’t finish that sentence.

Isaac drapes his arms over each of their shoulders with a grin. “No worries Naomi I’ll be with them and so will Nico. Isn’t that right gloom and doom?”

Nico glares at the brunet for the nickname but agrees. “R-right.”

Ms. Solace laughs softly dabbing at her eyes with a tissue. “I’m afraid I’ll always worry about my children. Ya’ll best be going the plane should be leaving soon.” Giving each of them one last hug they walk up to the designated gate and hand over their tickets.

At least this time they could all sit close to each other on the plane. Nico and Skylar would sit in one row with fit for two people. Across the aisle would be Will and Isaac so they can lean over and talk any time they choose. They booked a nighttime flight and the plane was filled to the brim. By the time they arrived in New York it would be morning. After setting each of their bags in the designated compartments they relax into their seats. Well three out of four did.

Nico was beginning to have second thoughts. Shadow travel has always been his go to method of transportation. Flying in a large mechanical bird in Zeus’s territory was not very appealing. His fingers clutched so hard onto the armrest they turned white. From the corner of his eye he notices his blonde companion reaching a hand out to him. Reluctantly the son of Hades accepts. _She better not laugh at me._

“The key is to not think about it. Just focus on me, on my voice and you’ll be alright. Now close your eyes and if need be grip my hand harder.” Her words come out soft as if to put him at ease. It works a little bit but when the plane begins takeoff his eyes are clenched shut. Skylar’s hand is locked in a deathgrip. The amount of force Nico exerts makes it feel as if he’ll crush her fingers but she refuses to pull away. Until the plane finally levels out she remains in his grasp all the while whispering soothing words into his ear. When the son of Hades finally loosens his hold Skylar’s fingers are discolored. This was going to be a long flight.

Light scratching came to the right of Will drawing his attention to his travel companion. Isaac’s full concentration was on his sketchbook. A wooden pencil clasped between his teeth as he harshly erased whatever was previously placed upon the page. Sky blue eyes watch as he tosses the eraser onto the fold out table and place the pencil back to the parchment. During the rough movements Isaac’s glasses seemed to fall further down his nose. Letting out a quiet chuckle Will gently pushes them back to their rightful place startling the green-eyed boy in the process.

“W-Will?” Isaac whispers as to not disturb any sleeping passengers. Hunter green eyes were widened slightly as they looked at the son of Apollo.

“Sorry, they were slipping off and I-I just wanted to fix them.” The blond apologizes. He was thankful the cabin lighting wasn’t very bright or Isaac would of seen his faint blush. He’s been doing that a lot around Isaac lately.

“Oh, um thanks I guess?” Sitting back in his seat Isaac shows Will what he’s been working on. There wasn’t a sketch on the paper like he previously thought. Instead there were words. Erasure marks littered the page where Isaac tried to translate a previous passage written in Latin.

“What are you trying to translate exactly?” Will asks handing the book back to Isaac.

“The lines of text written on Sky’s handkerchief. Both she and Nico have been tight lipped about it since finding it. I have a feeling Nico might know what it is but refuses to tell anyone so I’m trying to decipher it myself.” Sighing he glances back down at the page. “As you can see I’m not having much luck. Most of the words Skylar taught me in Latin were insults.”

“Skylar’s such a bad influence when she wants to be. I may only know a few words but it’s better than nothing right? Mind if I help?” Isaac’s eyes brighten at the idea of receiving help. Nodding eagerly he passes Will a pencil and props the book up between them. They stayed in this position for most of the flight. Even as they both drifted off to slumber. Heads rested upon the other and a partially translated passage clutched in their hands. Soft snores emitted between the peaceful duo.

Removing her hand gently from Nico’s grasp Skylar whispers that she’ll return shortly. Getting up from her seat she stands in the aisle. After collecting Isaac’s materials they are placed safely into his bag. A warm smile makes its way onto her face at the sight of the sleeping boys. Retrieving her complimentary blanket from her seat she drapes it over Will and Isaac. Letting out a yawn Skylar makes her way to the back of the plane and into the small restroom. Closing the door and locking it her hands clutch the edge of the small sink.

 _Everything will work out in the end. The boys will be safe even if I…_ Ridding her head of the thoughts she turns on the tap. Cupping her hands under the running water she splashes it in her face to wake up. It was only a matter of time before they’d land. Skylar wanted to be awake when it happens. To drink in the early morning sky and city lights that have yet to turn off from previous night activities.

“Talk to them about it. I promised Will I’d rely on others more.” Fixing her braid in the tiny mirror Skylar makes her way out of the restroom and to her seat. Nico was just nodding off in his seat as she sits. His head tilted to the side chocolate brown eyes half-lidded. Giggling quietly she lifts the armrest separating their seats. As if on instinct Nico rests on her shoulder too tired to care. Running a hand through his hair Skylar stares out the small window waiting for them to land.

Standing on land instead of a mechanical contraption around thirty-nine thousand feet in the air was a gift from the gods. Skylar flexed her now bruised hand, rolling her suitcase behind her as she walked. The case hissed with each bump she hit and she whispers an apology to the inhabitant inside. Nico matched her pace carrying a duffle bag filled with all his belongings Ms. Solace gave him during his stay. He gripped the strap tightly his mind swirling with thoughts of what is to come. He still had business to attend to involving a certain son of Poseidon afterall. Will and Isaac brought up the rear rubbing the sleep from their eyes. As the group steps out of the sliding glass doors of the airport they’re met with the warm weather of New York. The sun could be seen just beginning to rise over the horizon.

“Is someone picking us up or are we hailing a taxi?” Isaac asks Skylar coming to a stop beside her.

“If I’m not mistaken our ride should be right around...there!” Skylar calls out pointing to a white van parked a good distance away. The camp’s strawberry business logo was plastered on the side. A very familiar blond male leaned up against the vehicle. His body was riddled with multiple eyes all over his body.

“Argus! It’s good to see you again.” Skylar waves once they get close enough to the man. Argus nods his head in greeting and opens the door for them to climb in. It is then that they discover they aren’t the only ones being picked up from the airport. One of Isaac’s siblings, Mitchell was fast asleep in the very back seat. In the front passenger seat sat Katie Gardner who turns to greet them with a wave.

Grinning mischievously Isaac quietly sits beside Mitchell. Will climbs in nodding to Katie and taking a seat in front of Mitchell plugging his ears. Leaning close to his half brother’s ear Isaac yells out a hello. Mitchell screeches jumping in his seat and looking around wildly. His eyes narrow at Isaac socking him in the arm. Nico rolls his eyes sitting beside Skylar but not before giving Isaac a punch of his own. The blonde places her suitcase across their laps and unzips it allowing the creature inside to emerge. Reaper reassembles himself with a clatter stretching out his limbs. He bites Skylar’s finger as payback for having to travel in a suitcase eliciting a yelp from the blonde. Once everyone is buckled in Argus begins the drive to Camp Half Blood. Each of them were eager to return to camp. Even if they all had very different reasons.


	31. Cleaning Duty and a Date?

Wooden steps creaked under the pressure of the twins as they opened the door to their cabin. The interior hadn’t changed since they last left. White plaster walls laid bare of weapons and coats. Both doors leading to their sleeping quarters were closed. All books were stacked haphazardly on the shelves. Even the cot kept in the cabin for the injured had crisp white sheets folded neatly atop the bare mattress.

“That’s odd.” Skylar frowns walking inside the room she shared with Kayla and looking around. All the beds were untouched. Stripped of their sheets just as they were last summer. However a suitcase was open on the floor as if someone was in the middle of unpacking. Placing her bags on her trunk she walks to her bed. Reaper sat atop her shoulder purring beside her ear. His hollow eyes looked around the room with a sense of interest.

Before anything else she changed into more comfortable attire. Closing the door for privacy she walks to the dresser. Pulling a camp shirt, short sleeved flannel and jean shorts from her dresser Skylar changes. Switching out her flats for sneakers she opens the door to see Will had changed as well. He swapped his dress shirt for a camp shirt he cut into a tank top. The dark jeans that previously covered his legs were now khaki cargo shorts. Flip flops finished off his laid-back look.

“There’s no sign of Michael. His bed is still bare. Austin on the other hand already made his and put away his things.” Will tells her after stepping into the room. He previously walked to the boy’s side of the cabin to set down his suitcase.

“Kayla’s nowhere to be found but her luggage is here.” Skylar replies already unfolding the sheets to be placed upon her mattress.

“Michael probably just got held up or something. Might as well get things up and running for when he does arrive. He can just owe us one.” The son of Apollo shrugs helping his sister place the sheets on her bed. Smooth fabric the color of raspberries now laid nicely atop her mattress. They repeat this process on each of the beds with their designated sheet colors. Will had rich Cobalt sheets. For Kayla, lime green. Michael always stuck with a deep shade of Navy. Austin’s choice seemed to change quite often but he mainly stuck to various shades of yellow. Their color choices gave them each a way to express themselves further. Just as they finished Kayla’s bed she walks through the door.

“Wow, I didn’t realize my talk with the Hephaestus kids took so long.” Kayla comments from the doorway. Her ginger hair had the ends freshly dyed the usual striking green.

“You sure you weren’t just avoiding us?” Skylar jokes walking over to give her a hug. Kayla eyes the skeletal cat on her shoulder but returns the hug anyway. If it was going to attack it surely would of by now.

“It’s good to see you, now I won’t need to clean by myself. Austin’s already settled in and running the infirmary.” Kayla chuckles releasing her. “I see you got a pet as well. Ortus is gonna be jealous.” Will gets a side hug and hair ruffle from the shorter girl returning to her side of the room to finish unpacking.

“He’ll get over it I’m sure. Honestly I’m surprised that pegasus hasn’t busted our door down yet.” Skylar laughs moving over to the window. Unlatching the locks she forces the window open with a quiet squeak allowing some fresh air inside. The yellow curtains began to sway from the breeze. Hooves can be heard clopping against the ground. Not a second later the large head of her beloved pegasus emerges startling the trio. His neighs sound disgruntled as if scolding his owner for leaving him for so long. Letting out a laugh Skylar softly pets his head whispering apologies to calm him down. Reaper begins to hiss at the large animal but settles down seeing it was indeed not harming the young girl.  

“Everyone’s schedules have been crazy trying to get kids here safely. It wouldn’t surprise me if some don’t show up. I actually got here half an hour ago but something came up.” Kayla tells them as she works placing a few trinkets upon her desk in the corner.

“Well we’re here to help any way we can you know that.” Will smiles. Skylar nods in agreement petting Reaper’s head. “Has anything happened?”

“The guys in cabin nine wanted to test out some new arrows they developed. Truth be told we better stick with what we know.” The ginger lets out a yawn. “It didn’t exactly go over well.”

“Maybe I’ll swing by there later if I have the time. It would be a shame if all their work went to waste.” Skylar replies traversing through the cabin to open all the windows. They had quite a bit of cleaning to do. It seemed not even the cleaning Harpies came to their cabin to tidy up before hand.

It took them a good three hours to get almost everything in order. From dusting off the furniture to organizing the cabin’s various medical supplies. They did it all. Will even managed to write out a list to check stock in the infirmary. Kayla left the duo alone to deliver Will’s newly made list to Austin. In that time they were visited by a few campers. Annabeth poked her head in to say a quick hello. When Skylar questioned Percy’s whereabouts she paused but chose to say he and Beckendorf were out on a quest.

Not long after she left Isaac stopped in wearing his usual attire of jeans and a cartoon t-shirt. The brunet lazed around on one of the cabin’s couches criticizing Will’s cleaning until the blond ran him out the door. Nico knocked on the doorframe poking his head inside. He wore his usual dark t-shirt and jeans, his aviator jacket seemed to be missing at the moment. Much to Skylar’s delight Nico’s hair was back to the cute bedhead look. He asked Skylar to meet up with him later and disappeared. What he could want to talk about was a mystery but she wouldn’t pass up a chance to spend time with him.

Deciding to hang a few pictures around the cabin entrance, Skylar retrieves a ladder from the back room placing it near the front door. She sung a song to fill the quiet room as they worked. A song called ‘Kids again.’ Will, who was sifting through the photo albums, would join in to sing the male vocals much to his sister’s enjoyment. Climbing up the ladder rungs Skylar retrieves a nail from Reaper’s mouth. The cat remained perched on her shoulder to assist various nails clenched between his jaw.

“You’re a good little helper aren’t you?” She praises hammering the nail into the wall and hanging a golden frame. Ortus, who moved to stand outside the front door of the cabin seemed to huff. His jealousy was beginning to show. “Will! How does it look?”

Looking up from an album Will checks his sister’s work. “Move it a bit to the left and it should be good.” Doing as instructed Skylar shifts the picture. “Perfect!” Giving a thumbs up she climbs down the ladder moving it to another location. This process is continued until there are various sized frames hanging around the entryway.

After placing the ladder back in its proper place Skylar admires their work. Will walks to her side to join her. They ultimately decided on pictures that included their small family and friend groups. The first photo hanging the farthest to the left of the door was of the Apollo cabin gathered around the campfire for a sing-a-long. Lee could be seen sandwiched between the twins on a log. His smiling face illuminated by the bonfire a guitar sat on his lap.

Beside the campfire picture was one taken during Austin’s birthday a year ago. Will had snapped the picture just as Michael smashed a cream pie into his face. Not long after the picture was taken he had to hide the camera so his half sibling didn’t delete the evidence. Austin eventually got over the silly picture claiming it marked one of his favorite birthdays.

The third frame hung directly above the door. It was the most recent picture taken at Camp Half Blood and included Percy, Annabeth, Grover, Tyson, Will, Skylar, Isaac and Nico. The eight of them gathered to take an end of summer photo. Each of them had various happy smiles. Except Nico who wanted to be anywhere besides held into frame by Percy. The son of Poseidon had his hand clasped to Nico’s jacket preventing any escape. Annabeth was mid eye roll her face turned in Percy’s direction. Tyson managed to squish the whole group together to fit in frame. Isaac stood in between the Solace twins an arm around each of their shoulders. His hunter green eyes looked directly at the camera.

Frames number four and five hung on the right side of the front door. The fourth was of Will and Kayla leading archery practice. Skylar snapped the picture as she was passing by. Kayla was right in her element. She was in mid countdown with one hand raised in the air. Will stood beside her first aid kit in hand. Sure enough right after the photo was taken someone misfired and grazed another camper with their arrow. It helps to have a medic on standby.

The fifth and final picture frame was the smallest and housed only one person. At first the twins hesitated hanging this one. It brought back memories of happier times. Lounging on his bed in the sunlight was Lee Fletcher. A book leant to him by the Athena cabin obscured half his face. Skylar remembered it being one of the few times she’d seen her older half-sibling so content. His eyes completely glued to the book before him, oblivious that she’d even stepped into the room. Just as quick as she’d pressed the button she evacuated the room deciding to leave him to his peace.

“It sure makes this place feel more like home huh?” Will smiles pulling his sister into a side hug.

“Definitely.” Skylar agrees wrapping one arm around him. A loud rumble comes from their stomachs and they share a laugh. Calling it quits the duo head to the mess hall for some well deserved lunch.

Not long after the twins sit at the Apollo table they’re joined by Kayla and surprisingly Michael. Austin trickles in a few minutes later sitting beside Kayla. He hands the infirmary’s inventory list back to Will. Various red check marks littered the paper. Apparently the camp’s stock of bandages and most potent ointment has dwindled. A note was made to restock at their earliest convenience. Michael catches up with his half siblings and explains how his plane was delayed. The weather surrounding the airport in his hometown was akin to a typhoon. There was finally a break in between rain storms and voila. Michal Yew made it to Camp Half Blood. Austin got here a day ago and has been running the infirmary alongside Chiron. So far there have only been minor injuries and the plan was to keep it that way.

Halfway through lunch Skylar leaves briefly, placing Reaper on her seat to consult a child of Hephaestus that was passing by the dining pavilion. Will notices her pull a folded sheet of parchment from her back pocket. _Blueprints maybe? No the paper’s too small._ The blonde hands it over to her fellow camper giving them an appreciative smile. She passes by Nico who was sitting on the steps but not before planting a kiss to his head. He pauses in mid bite, a happy meal in his lap. Where he managed to get it she chose not to question. Although there was a hunch that it involved shadow travel. Skylar sits beside him making light conversation.

This action catches Michael’s eye and he raises a brow. “How long has that been going on? Skylar and Nigel?” He questions Will gesturing to the couple. Michael had seen the boy once or twice before but never learned his actual name. Reaper tilts his head at the son of Apollo when he gets Nico’s name wrong. The skeletal cat causes a shiver to run up Michael’s spine.

“His name’s Nico, they’ve been together since last summer. He stayed with us briefly during our time at school.” Will explains also looking over at the pair. Skylar must of made a horrible pun because Nico was currently trying to hide his face in shame. That was his sister. Always a lover of puns both good and bad.

“The kid doesn’t really talk much. He just kind of blends into the shadows.” Austin shrugs taking a drink from his goblet.

“He’s that son of Hades folks have been talking about right? What possessed her to get with him? Seems all his family brings is more death.” Michael comments taking a bit out of his burger. Kayla elbows him in the side telling him to be nice. If Skylar were to overhear she’d surely give the shorter boy a piece of her mind. Instead Will made a comment that made Michael fall into silence.

“He’s the sole reason my sister keeps smiling. Don’t judge people by rumors alone.”

Lifting Reaper into her arms Skylar takes her place beside Will one more. The cat lets out a soft clicking noise and she scratches his head with her finger. Michael mutters something about talking to Chiron and leaves the table. Kayla bids the twins farwell leaving to practice archery. Austin awkwardly looks between the twins and quickly leaves the table.

“Um...did I miss something?” Skylar asks her brother looking at the bench where her half siblings previously sat. He merely shrugs continuing to eat his food.

Laughter rings out from the Aphrodite table. Will finds himself looking over at the source. Sitting beside Mitchell in all his dorkiness was Isaac. A warm feeling flutters in his chest. Although he looked tired from the flight he still managed to make Will’s heart beat faster. Letting out a quiet groan he places his head in his hands mumbling to himself.  

“It’s not like he’s a stranger, but I can’t walk up to him and say ‘Hey wanna go on a date?’ He’s a son of Aphrodite for gods sake.” Will seemed to of forgotten his sister has exceptional hearing. So when she begins to giggle beside him he knows he’s in for it. Lifting his head he reluctantly looks into the blue eyes of his sister.

“You’re seriously thinking about it too much. Just be straightforward with him. Enough of this circling business you two are doing.” Skylar waves her hand at him in a circular motion.

“Like you’re one to talk.” Will scoffs. “It took a near death experience for you to confess to Nico and vise versa.”

“Maybe, but it still happened all the same. Unlike you and Isaac who are too scared to make the first move. Come on bro just ask him for a date.” She urges nudging his leg with her foot. Reaper even gave his own form of encouragement by letting out a purr.

“Now isn’t exactly an ideal time to confess to someone. In case you’ve forgotten we’re prepping for war.” He shoots back.

“All the more reason and you darn well know it. Let’s not kid ourselves this is going to be our biggest battle yet. Not all of us are coming out unscathed. Us medics will always perform as best we can but…well you know how that can go.” An image of Poppy flashes in Will’s mind from his sister’s words.

“Anyway just tell him in case you never get the chance.” Standing from the bench Skylar scoops up Reaper leaving the son of Apollo to mull over his choices. She wanted check up on Mrs. O’Leary and take Ortus on a flight. It was possible the massive Hellhound was with Nico but she wanted to be sure. Besides it was her final day to get readjusted before things started getting hectic.

Chalking up the courage Will walks over to the Aphrodite table. Whatever gossip that was being passed around had ceased upon his arrival. All eyes were on him as he stood nervously beside the table. It was an odd sight, seeing someone as laidback as Will all fidgety. One of his hands were in his pocket holding a folded sheet of paper. On it, the words he wanted to say.

“Y-You guys mind if I steal Isaac for a while?” He questions, sky blue eyes fixated on the brunet.

“Come on man it’s not like they’re my keepers.” Isaac jokes rising from his seat and walking past Will. He waves goodbye to his half-siblings and drags the son of Apollo away.

“Have fun you two!” Lacy calls out resulting in a chorus of whistles from the table. Isaac rolls his eyes at their childishness walking beside Will to the beach. They stood in silence overlooking the water. It wasn’t uncomfortable but there were words that needed to be spoken. Will’s hands were in his pockets running a finger over the note inside.

“Dude, I’m your best friend. Whatever it is you need to say I’ll listen.” The brunet places a hand on Will’s shoulder giving it a gentle squeeze.

“No I know its just...here.” He pulls his hand from his pocket shoving the note in Isaac’s face. The brunet blinks. Once. Twice. Three times before accepting the paper. “I-I translated it. The passage from the plane.” Will mutters looking away to stare back out at the water.

“Really? Awesome!” Unfolding the paper eagerly Isaac scans over the words. His face turns from curious to confusion then disbelief. A crimson blush begins to take over his cheeks. The blond that stood by his side housed flushed cheeks of the same shade. However all that could be seen by Isaac were the red-tipped ears. “W-Will? What is this?” He questions waving around the paper.

“If I’ve made you uncomfortable I’d understand. Skylar just made it seem like y-you shared the same feelings and I.”

“Will.”

“Get it if you don’t. Gosh this was such a s-stupid idea.”

“Will please stop talking.”

“You deserve someone so much better who was I even kid-” His speech is cut off as something is pressed to his cheek. Isaac pulls away placing his hands on each of his shoulders. By now both boys were as red as strawberries.

“You’re a dork you know that? Using a note to ask me out. I’ve been waiting forever for you to get the nerve.I always chickened out at the last minute thinking you didn’t feel the same. Glad to see I was wrong. Don’t you dare ever doubt yourself either Solace. Everyone wishes they could be half the man you are.” He rests his forehead on the son of Apollo’s. Standing on his tiptoes to do so. “So, movie night at your cabin?” Isaac asks sheepishly a giddy smile on his lips.

Will seemed to stop functioning for a moment. _He agreed to a date. With me. I can’t believe it worked._ Snapping back to reality Will pulls Isaac against him burying his face into the boy’s wavy brown hair. A sigh of relief escapes as his body visibly relaxes. All the nerves he felt previously washed away. The son of Aphrodite chuckles wrapping his arms around Will’s waist. It took some time but they finally seemed to be on the same page. Needless to say they looked forward to movie night.


	32. Sparring

Sunsets were always a gorgeous sight to behold. There was something about the array of colors splashed across the sky that remained to be breathtaking every day. No two sunsets were the same. Watching them with someone close to you made them all the more special. Which is why two young teens sat side by side their eyes fixated on the horizon. Hands laid clasped on the ground between them. Silence covered them like a blanket. It was peaceful, but like everything else that peace needed to end.

“I saw you die.” Those weren’t the first words Nico expected to hear that night.

“Is that what you dreamed about the other night? Skylar it was just a nightmare. I’m right here.” He frowns focusing his brown eyes on her.

“I know it was but...it felt so real. The setting, your body falling to the ground, and the...blood.” The blonde murmurs the last part so quietly Nico barely hears her.

“You’re worried that it’ll happen in the future. This is why I never wanted to tell you about the warning.” Running a hand through his hair Nico lets out a sigh. Skylar falls silent for a while and he has to look over to ensure she didn’t fall asleep on him. She meets his gaze and flashes a small smile.

“Do you believe in destiny Nico?” Her question comes out soft. It was as if she had spoken any louder the tranquility would disappear.

“Destiny and fate are one in the same. You can’t change the events only the outcome.” Nico surmises. His companion lets out a hum in response. It seemed to suffice as whatever answer she seeked.

“Just the answer I expected from you. Defying the Fates and changing your destiny is where it gets tricky though.” The blonde taps her head turning her body to face the son of Hades. “We start to become aware of what awaits us and try to run from the inevitable.”

“Where are you going with this?” He questions with a yawn.

“My point is that what is destined and what we see with our own eyes may very well be two separate things. I’ve become aware of the possibilities and now I’m running.” She summarizes squeezing his hand.

“Then what is it you’re running from?” His question was simple but the words held weight.

Taking a deep breath Skylar decides to relay the thoughts that have been plaguing her mind for months. She tells him of the first vision she had in the midst of searching for him a couple of summers ago. The spine chilling voice whispered words of her death as well as those she cared deeply for. Just the thought of being the cause of their demise left a foul taste in her mouth. Visions of an inevitable future in which the choices she alone makes either saves or destroys. Even going as far as to describe in detail the nightmare she endured only a day ago. It was a lot of pressure for a girl only fourteen years old.

“There’s no guarantee it will be during the war. Your dreams could just be regular nightmares. After the loss of Lee then Poppy...we’ll figure it out when the time is right.” Nico concludes. In reality his mind was reeling. He knew all Skylar told him wasn’t a mere coincidence. An unseen force was definitely at works. Forcing her to the edge, to her true purpose. That being said he’d rather not stir the pot even further.

“Right, no one truly knows what tomorrow will bring so it is best to enjoy the present. For once in our lives to be normal teenagers.” Shuffling closer to Nico, Skylar leans against him. He could feel her body heat seeping through his clothes.

“Skylar? Do you trust me?” He questions resting his cheek on her head. His fingers played with hers on his lap.

“Mhmm, of course I do. Why do you ask?” She asks.

Contemplating for a moment Nico decides to tell her the minimal details. “Jackson and I have a plan. When he gets back he’ll give me his answer on whether we go through with it or not. I know you have questions but...I just need you to trust me.”

“You’re right I do. However, I know it isn’t my place to question what scheme you and waterboy have come up with.” Turning her head she places a gentle kiss upon his lips. “Try to come back in one piece or you’ll have to deal with both me and Annabeth.” Nico wraps his arms around her tighter. His face buried into her hair. In a state of momentary calm they remained in each other’s arms until curfew. When the time finally comes they will be ready. No matter the threat they face.

An emergency meeting was called for all campers to gather in the amphitheater the following day. Everyone was happy to see Percy return after destroying the Princess Andromeda. It put a wrench in Kronos’s plans for sure. The boat would be delayed buying the camp some time to prepare before it docks in Manhattan. However they never expected the son of Poseidon to return alone. Charles Beckendorf wasn’t with him like they thought. Apparently something went wrong with their initial plan. He sacrificed himself to detonate the bombs while Percy jumped into the sea and made it back to Camp Half Blood. Silena Beauregard, Beckendorf’s girlfriend, has been inconsolable since hearing the news of his passing. Clarisse stayed by her side seeing as they were best friends.

Adding salt to the wound Percy also relays that Camp Half Blood has a traitor. An uproar wages across the amphitheater. Demigods began accusing each other. Anxiety and worry could be seen on the faces of many. Skylar causes an explosion in the air with her powers to silence those who were beginning to cause a scene. She didn’t want the union they all shared to crumble over the actions of one person. They didn’t even have a clue who it could be after all. Pollux surprisingly speaks up and gets most of the crowd under control keeping a level head and reassuring them not to turn on each other.

By the end of the meeting the campers all have mixed feelings. They were happy the mission was a success however it came with the loss of one of their own. Now they had a traitor among them and it was scaring many. There was no telling how much information they had on battle plans and campers alike.

As Skylar walks past the cabins she notices another fight breaking out between her cabin mates and a few Ares kids. Ever since the war meeting they’ve been at each other’s throats. Clarisse even refused to have her cabin participate in the upcoming war. She chose to stay out of the feud and avoid interaction. Personally she felt Michael was being big headed and should just give them the spoils of war they earned. If she voiced her thoughts though she’d spark her half-sibling’s short temper. Letting out a sigh she continues on her way to the training arena. Isaac was bound to be already waiting for her. The two made plans to spar seeing as Will was busy in the Infirmary and Nico was MIA. Percy also seemed to vanish around camp as did Mrs. O’Leary. Annabeth was also busy drawing up battle plans to accommodate their available forces.

Walking up the steps Skylar runs into Pollux. Literally. The violet eyed boy reaches out to grasp her arm so she doesn’t fall. Flashing the boy a smile she thanks him moving out of his way so he can pass. With a wave of his hand he departs leaving Skylar to head over to where Isaac stood.

“You and Pollux did a good job with crowd control this morning. I only wish the Apollo and Ares cabins would sort their differences. Clarisse and her siblings aren’t exactly my favorite people but I’d feel more confident with her fighting alongside us. Will’s the only one that can calm Clarisse down but even his efforts are in vain.” Isaac tells Skylar as she draws closer. His locket was already changed to his axe awaiting at his side.

“Me too but we’ll have to manage with what we’ve got.” Unsheathing the bronze sword at her side Skylar gets into a fighting stance. Normally she’d prefer to use a dagger but she lost it during the Battle of the Labyrinth. Seeing as she’s been focusing mainly on archery and the use of her photokinesis she has yet to find a replacement. She waits for Isaac to get into position and the fighting commences.

Spitting out the blood pooling in her mouth Skylar readies her sword once more. Isaac managed to elbow her in the mouth during their fight busting open her lip. He hadn’t meant to, she went to trip him and his arm shot out catching her in the face.

“That’s gonna leave a mark.” She grumbles to herself wiping her mouth on her tank top. When her shirt lifted up slightly the jagged marks from the werewolf attack could be seen contrasting against her skin. Isaac’s green eyes flicker to the scar before he looks away taking a swig from his water bottle. They called a time out so she could wash her mouth out with water. Skylar spits into a nearby trash can retrieving her sword and getting into position once more.

“Oh come on Sky, you’ve gotta have more in you than that.” Isaac taunts at the blonde.

“Bud, you know I’m just getting started.” Skylar replies parrying the brunet’s attack. Her leg sweeps under Isaac’s knocking him off balance. Instead of him falling to the ground like she planned Isaac tucks into a roll swinging his axe at Skylar’s face. Backflipping, the blonde loses her grip on her sword as it slides across the marble flooring. The son of Aphrodite sees this as an advantage. Rushing forward Isaac slices in wide arcs giving her no chance to grab her weapon. Having no choice but to dodge the blonde jumps, rolls and flips around the arena. Anything to get away from the onslaught of attacks. She’d just have to hold out long enough for Isaac to get tired.

Campers who were previously training themselves stop to watch the duo. Connor and Travis Stoll could be found amongst the crowd placing bets on who the victor would be. Every time Isaac would go in for an attack Skylar would dodge instead of trying to disarm him. There were openings she could exploit to get the upper hand but refused to acknowledge them. Skylar managed to get her sword back but remained on the defensive. Her hands glowed amidst the flashes of bronze from their colliding swords. Each time her hand came in contact with the ground it would glow then disappear.

Travis lets out a whistle watching the duo go at it. “Isaac’s improved since he first came here. Skylar’s being cornered.”

“Whatever, when have you ever known her to not have a trick up her sleeve?” Connor counters.

“Yeah but at this point it’s a test of endurance.” Mitchell inputs from in front of the brothers. “Isaac has the advantage for now because Skylar isn’t attacking. If he keeps swinging wildly he’s bound to run out of energy. Skylar on the other hand has more endurance but all that dodging isn’t gaining her any ground.”

“Come on Isaac you can do it!” Lacy cheers loudly amongst the group.

The sudden outburst from the crowd disrupts Skylar’s focus. She hadn’t even noticed a crowd forming during the duration of their fight. Lacy’s sudden shout caused the blonde to misjudge her back handspring. She feels her wrist bend a little too far while landing on her open palm. Ignoring the pain in her wrist as to not alert her opponent she gets back to her feet. Ducking under another swing of Isaac’s axe she kicks his stomach watching as he stumbles backwards. Kneeling on the ground her sky blue eyes look at her opponent’s feet. A triumphant smirk appears on her face.

“What are you smirking at? I’m clearly the victor here.” Holding his axe at his side Isaac peers over at the golden-haired girl.

“Oh are you now? Might wanna check your feet sweetpea.” Skylar places her uninjured hand on the ground releasing a pulse of light onto the surface. Curious Isaac looks down at his feet. Pillars of light shoot out of the ground around her feet forming a cage. The son of Aphrodite looks at the bars in disbelief. Groans come from the crowd of onlookers as they exchange various currency whether they bet on the winner or loser.

“I can’t believe that actually worked.” She laughs running a hand through her hair. Sitting on the floor Skylar admires her handiwork. You see, Skylar’s been testing the limits of her abilities. During this process she’s discovered the variety of ways she’s able to bend light and produce it manipulating it to her will. That includes setting traps like the one Isaac is now confined in. Most of them she chooses to keep to herself until absolutely necessary. _Looks like I can add traps to the list along with weapon crafting, force fields and light manipulation. Go me._

“As awesome as this is for you, can you let me out of here?” Isaac’s voice calls out to her. Waving her hand Skylar dispels the cage allowing the son of Aphrodite to walk over to where she sat. He offered her a hand up noticing how she cradled her left one to her chest. Noticing his stare she sings a hymn wincing as the torn ligaments mended themselves together.

“How stubborn can you be? Injured yet you still went through with your little stunt.” Isaac facepalms at his friend who smiles sheepishly. Gathering their equipment Skylar returns the borrowed sword. Walking down the stone steps Isaac suggests they clean up then meet up to talk. She agrees parting way with the brunet to freshen up.

Isaac sits on the steps of the Apollo cabin waiting for Skylar to return. A few minutes pass and the blonde could be seen jogging toward him. She had a plastic bag in her hand. “What’s in the bag?” Isaac questions as she sits beside him.

“Lunch, I got us both some to go so we didn’t have to sit separately in the mess hall.” Skylar replies unloading two bottles of water, a box of assorted sandwiches and some fruit.”

“More like you raided the kitchen when nobody was looking.” The green-eyed boy snickers taking a bite out of his sandwich.

“Pfft I have no idea what you mean.”

“So when did you learn to do that?” Isaac inquires taking a sip from his water bottle. He was referring to Skylar’s antics in the arena.

“Today’s actually the first time it ever worked according to plan. I’ve been trying to perfect it for months. It sure puts all my endurance training to good use.” Skylar chuckles taking a bite out of an apple.

“Unbelievable. Using me as a guinea pig.” The brunet lets out a chuckle.

“Don't worry I made sure to be careful. My brother wouldn’t take to kindly to me impaling his love interest anyway.” She snickers watching how Isaac’s face flares up. “I can be dense at times but I’m smarter than you give me credit for. So how did your movie date go? Nico and I almost got caught by the Harpies to give you guys some alone time.”

“It was nice...we’re still not official or anything...I think? He hasn’t officially asked me to be his boyfriend yet. We planned on having a proper date in the future. He’s such a dork and so pure. I wanna protect him.” Isaac lets out a dreamy sigh resting his head on his hand. He informs the daughter of Apollo how Will asked him out. Skylar lets out a snort at how cheesy it sounded.

“Yup, that’s my bro. Awkward to the core when it comes to romance. Which makes the two of you all the more perfect. For a son of Aphrodite you sure lack in the love department.” She teases earning a playful shove from Isaac.

“Yeah, yeah. I’m just relieved I don’t have to tiptoe around him. I knew you Solace twins were dense but Will’s on a whole new level.” He chuckles shifting his green eyes to people watch.

Skylar smiles ruffling his slightly damp hair. She was beyond happy for them. There was no need to be a protective older sister. Isaac was a good guy with proper morals. He knew better than to hurt Will or he’d have to deal with everyone who treasured the blond as a friend. The same went for her own brother. If he managed to do Isaac wrong Skylar wouldn’t let Will hear the end of it. She was kind of on both sides when you think about it.

“Hey bud? We promised no secrets between us right?” Her voice lowers almost to a whisper and Isaac has to strain to hear her.

“Well it depends on the kind of secret. Is it one that’s harmful or harmless? For example, you know something that could get someone hurt. Compared to stealing food from the kitchen.” He nods his head at the remains of their lunch.

“I’d say it would have to be the former in this case. Th-”

“I’m all for you two being friends but I’d prefer if you didn’t whisper like you’re up to no good.” A voice chuckles from beside them cutting Skylar off. Jumping in surprise Skylar and Isaac look over to see Will. He stood off to the side his arms crossed over his chest. _I didn’t even hear him approach. Man, I’m losing my touch._ Skylar thinks.

“No harm done dear brother of mine. We merely do it out of love. Weren’t you supposed to be in the infirmary?” Skylar asks as Will takes a seat beside Isaac. He casually placed an arm around the boy’s waist drawing him closer. Isaac lets out a surprised squeak at the sudden contact. A blush could be seen on each of their faces.

“I was until a short while ago. Austin came and took over for me since Kayla’s leading archery practice. A few campers passed by earlier saying you two put on quite the show. I wish I could of seen it.” Isaac nods at Will’s words.

“Skylar locked me up in a cage using her weird light powers. Even if she used it without me knowing it was still awesome.” The son of Aphrodite grins using his hands as emphasis.

Will raised a brow at this. His blue eyes began to inspect Isaac for any injuries. The brunet waves off his concern reaching up to pat the blond’s cheek. He reassures the boy he’s fine pressing a kiss to his cheek. Will’s eyes widen at the action and he hides his face in Isaac’s hair. His cheeks were aflame. Laughing softly Isaac leans into Will’s chest hiding his face in the boy’s shirt.

 _Geez, now I know how Will felt when I made him hang around Nico and I._ “Well I guess I’ll be off things to do people to see.” Skylar gets to her feet heading inside the cabin briefly to retrieve her quiver. Fastening the strap around her waist she returns to the front.

“Really? We haven’t finished our talk before Will arrived.” Isaac frowns as she reemerges.

“Sis you look overheated.” Will frowns looking up at her. “Take a load off and go lay down. Doctor’s orders.”

“In case you’ve forgotten I’m also one William.”

“Don’t sass me, go take a nap.”

“But Will I really need t-”

“No. Bed rest now.”

“You deserve a break after our match. We can still talk later.” Isaac tells the blonde as she hovers by the door.

“Just forget it.” Grumbling to herself Skylar complies walking back into the Apollo cabin. Will rolls his eyes as a door slams somewhere in the building. It was for her own good after-all. The last thing they needed was for her to fall ill.

“Well that was something.” Will mutters gripping Isaac closer. The son of Apollo nuzzles his face into Isaac’s hair. _Whatever it could be she’ll come forward when she’s well rested. I hope._


	33. Second Opinion

The days that followed only seemed to grow worse for Skylar. Now she laid in the infirmary with an ice pack placed to her eye. Couldn’t a girl get a break? Earlier she tried to stop a fight between two campers. Apparently one of the Ares kids named Arnold accused Mason of the Athena cabin of being the traitor. Naturally the boys got into a scuffle. Not wanting it to go too far Skylar intervened. One wrong move later and she was sporting a brand new shiner. As she hit the dirt a few older campers broke up the fight. It seemed the closer they came to the final battle the more fights broke out around here.

Wincing Skylar sits up. Her head was throbbing and the bright lights of the room sure did nothing to help. Currently there wasn’t anyone else in the Infirmary so she was off the clock. Bored out of her mind she conjures some light using her finger to make shapes in the air. As time continued to pass on the sound of wheels rolling on the ground greets her ears. That could mean only one person.

“Hello sir, come to keep a young girl from dying of boredom?” She greets turning to Chiron.

“I fear you were a victim of the fright that currently grips your fellow campers.” The centaur wheels himself over to the blonde. “You are right on the account that I have come to speak with you.”

“I shall do my best to accommodate you then.” Skylar smiles despite the annoying pounding of her skull. Reaching over to the folding table beside her bed she grasps the bottle of painkillers. Taking two out she swallows them with the the water Chiron offers.

“Tell me Skylar, how do you feel we will fare going into battle as we are now?” The older man questions.

“Am I allowed to be honest sir?”

“Of course child.”

“Now I normally try to be optimistic in situations like this. Boosting morale and providing compassion when needed. However as we currently stand I’m concerned. We’re all diverse and that’s fine but we’re falling apart. Maybe not necessarily on the surface but it still looks grim.” Skylar places the bag of ice back onto her eye to numb the pain.

Chiron nods at her words allowing the information to sink in. He had to agree with her on some points. Camp Half Blood was always meant to be a place for demigods to feel safe. Somewhere for the children of the gods to live free of danger. However the actions of Kronos has warped the ideals of demigods. He’s twisted them into following his sick plan of overthrowing Olympus. The centaur always hoped this day would never come.

“If given the choice would you drop everything and return home to your mother? Living the life of a normal girl in Texas free of worry. Why is it that you choose to fight alongside us?” The activities director folds his hands on his lap. Brown eyes study the blonde as she responds.

“No sir I would not. Everyone here at camp, they are my family. Running away from them just to save my own skin just wouldn’t be me. Better to die fighting for those I care for than to cower I’d say.” Her words seemed to strike a chord in the old centaur. _We could all learn something from children like you._ He thinks with a smile. Patting Skylar’s knee he takes his leave. She bids him a farewell laying back down onto the cot.

Footsteps cause the floorboards to creak as they drew close to her position. Looking toward the doorway she prepares to greet whoever appears. “Rate your pain on a scale of one to ten.”

“Mental, physical or emotional?” A voice jokes as the person steps into the room.

“Annie! About time you’ve come to see me. I know we’ve both been busy but I could use a friend.” Skylar jokes as Annabeth walks over. She all but collapses into the chair beside her bed. Stormy gray eyes shining under the harsh lighting. The daughter of Athena looked overworked. Dark circles formed under her eyes. Her blonde hair was frizzy, hastily thrown into a ponytail.

“Sorry, I’ve been under a lot of pressure. Malcolm took over for me so I could take a break. It’s nice to relax even if only a little while.” Annabeth sighs sinking further into the chair she sat on. Her tired eyes fall closed.

“We only have a day or so before it’s time right? I wish it never came to this.” Skylar mumbles turning on the cot to face Annabeth. The throbbing pain in her head had subsided. Tossing the now melted ice pack onto the table she sees the blonde shift in the chair. A sign that she was indeed still awake.

“There’s no sense dwelling on the past, what’s done is done I’m sure you of all people understand.” Annabeth yawns cracking open one eye.

“Why don’t you get some sleep Annie? Malcolm’s resourceful I’m sure he can handle things while you rest.” Retrieving a blanket from a nearby cabinet Skylar drapes it over her friend. She walks to the wall and adjusts the lighting to better accommodate the daughter of Athena.

  “Alright but just for a few minutes then you wake me up.” Annabeth yawns once more. “I still need to talk to Chiron about...reinforcements.” Curling up in the armchair she falls into slumber.

Humming quietly Skylar writes a sign that reads ‘knock first’ and tapes it to the now closed infirmary door. She wanted Annabeth to be able to sleep without too much interruption. After pulling a medical journal from the shelf she sits at the desk shoved in the corner of the room. Her quiver, med pack and Reaper were on one end of the piece of furniture. While her friend rested she’d catch up on some reading. There were still some ailments and procedures she needed to brush up on.

Half an hour goes by before the tranquil silence of the infirmary is disrupted. Light knocking raps against the door. Bookmarking her page Skylar leaves the desk to answer. Opening the door she’s greeted by a camper from cabin nine. A young girl a couple of years younger than Skylar. Frizzy brown hair was held out of her face by a green bandana. Around the brunet’s neck was a pair of goggles. Her choice of attire consisting of an oversized camp shirt stuffed inside a pair of overalls. Worn out sneakers adorned her feet. lf she remembers right her name was Rory.

“Got a delivery for ya. Jake made sure we got all the specifications ya asked for. He was mighty proud of this here project. Even had me throw in a few of our newly modified arrows.” Rory gives the blonde a toothy grin. Stepping aside she allows the girl to place the box she held onto an empty bed.

Opening up the flaps Skylar removes one of the sheathed weapons. A dagger, forged perfectly to fit her needs. Unsheathing the small blade she admires the craftsmanship. The handle itself was wrapped in soft leather. Light reflected off of the metal consisting of swirled bronze and gold. Instead of the common shape of a dagger Skylar opted for a more triangle blade.

“It’s perfect. I’m glad you guys managed to get your hands on some Imperial Gold.” Sheathing the dagger again she places it back into the box. Rory stood proudly having been a part of making another camper happy with her cabin’s work.

“Yup, you sure lucked out there. We wouldn’t of been able to go search for more given all them monsters lurking about.” The brunette stuffs her hands in the pockets of her overalls. “Well I best be getting back. Us Hephaestus kids have a lot of work to finish up.”  

“Just give me a sec to get your payment and I’ll let you be on your way.” Shuffling back to the desk Skylar rifles through her small med pack. She pulls out a small circular container used for storing potent burn cream and two golden drachma. Handing over the items to Rory she bids the girl a farewell. Shutting the door after the daughter of Hephaestus Skylar returns to the box.

Dumping out the remaining contents of her parcel she feels her lips form a grin. After looking at the articles inside of a small wooden box she closes the lid placing it back where it came from. _I hope Will likes it._ Gathering up the five arrows Jake had included she slides them into her quiver. “That should be everything.” Skylar mumbles. Lifting the cardboard box another weapon catches her eye. _That’s weird. I only asked for one dagger. Maybe it was a mistake?_

The protective leather sheath it came in matched the color of her quiver. Unbuttoning the strap she reveals a blade as dark as the night sky. It's design was simple and sleek. Regardless it was a sight to behold. The only other kind of weapon like this was Nico’s sword. A piece of paper dangled from the handle attached by piece of string. Two letters were written on the small slip. G.K. _Ghost King? Neeks you darling boy. I’ve got my own personal armory now._

Placing the box back on a nearby cot, Skylar settles back into the chair at the infirmary’s desk. Picking up the medical journal once more she begins to read. Annabeth continued to sleep in the chair across the room. _Certainly she deserves to sleep a bit longer._ Skylar thinks glancing up at the older girl before returning to her studies.

Needless to say a certain daughter of Athena wasn’t very happy waking up three hours later.


	34. Showtime

Thunderous knocking wakes Will with a start. Bleary eyed he looks around from his position on the couch. He must of fallen asleep while reading again. Rubbing the sleep from his eyes he stumbles toward the front door. “Can I help...you..?” He pauses seeing the out of breath and disheveled appearance of Isaac. Stepping aside he allows the brunet inside. Immediately the son of Aphrodite begins pacing his hands thrown into the air as he begins to ramble. Most of the words come out in french so Will places his hands on his shoulders to grab his attention.

“Whoa, whoa okay slow down. What has you so worked up darlin’?” Under normal circumstances Isaac would of blushed. However now just wasn’t the time to be flattered by Will’s endearing names.

“T-the words that were in Latin you know the ones from that creepy guy in Texas. I finally figured out the full translation and I-I don’t know what to do Will.” He was beginning to hyperventilate. Having dealt with his sister’s anxiety attacks he gently leads Isaac to sit on the couch. Taking the boy’s hands into his own Will speaks calmly.

“Hey you’re okay. Just listen to my voice alright Isaac? Take deep breaths and follow my lead.” Demonstrating Will breathes in and out a few times. He smiles softly when Isaac begins to follow along. His breathing slowly returning to normal. “That’s it. Good. Now want to explain to me what you found exactly?”

Sky blue eyes watch as the brunet digs around in his pocket. He produces a crumpled up sheet of paper relinquishing it to Will. Curious, the blond smoothes out the note to read its contents. Isaac took to tapping his leg repeatedly with his finger as his friend comes to a conclusion. He watches as Will’s expression goes from wonder to concern then nose dive into that of despair. Exactly how he felt upon discovery.

“Will I...Skylar has to know about this right? If this is what she’s been trying to tell us and we’ve blown her off...oh gods.” Tears pricked at his hunter green eyes. Warm hands reach up to cup his face. He meets the determined gaze of the son of Apollo.

“You and I will talk to her and get to the bottom of this.” Will whispers resting his forehead on Isaac’s. No matter how much he tried to convince himself it was destined to happen. When the fates want you to jump then you do it no questions asked. He only wished it didn’t have to be his own flesh and blood that did the jumping. Pulling Isaac into his lap Will allows the boy to nestle his face in his neck.

“She can’t die Will. She can’t.” Soft sniffles now came from the brunet. The sound pulled at Will’s heart. His grip on the boy tightens allowing him to cry out his feelings. Silent tears fell down his own freckled cheeks. Skylar was his partner in crime. To imagine a life without her would be...unthinkable. Burying his face in Isaac’s hair he shuts his eyes tightly wanting to imagine it was all a bad dream. It wasn’t. Life could be too cruel sometimes.

Humming a cheerful tune Skylar hops up the stairs to her cabin. Clutching the cardboard box she received from Rory she turns the door knob opening the door with a squeak. “Will! You in here?” She calls kicking the door closed with her boot. Whispering hits her ears almost right after. Tilting her head she turns around spying both Isaac and Will on the couch of the main room.

The brunet seemed to be fighting tears and the sight made her heart clench. Rushing forward she places the box onto the table. Her knees hit the hardwood flooring as she kneels in front of the couch. Ocean blue eyes look over the boys in concern. Will didn’t seem to fare any better. Tear stains were apparent on the blond’s cheeks. Reaching up she wipes any stray tears from their faces. Just what on earth happened?

A fresh wave of tears fall from Isaac’s green eyes before he could stop them. Skylar’s untimely arrival did nothing to sway his inner turmoil. Will rubs his back gently as Skylar places a soothing hand on his knee.

“Shh bud it’s alright don’t cry.” She whispers.

“S-stop pretending everything i-is o-okay!” Isaac snaps at her through the tears. Taken aback Skylar sits back on her heels. Will shushes the brunet placing a kiss on his head. He shifts his gaze over to his sister. She looked absolutely lost on what was happening.

“Skylar now’s the time to fess up. No more secrets tell us everything you know right now.” His voice is deathly serious offering no room for refusal.

“I’m gonna be honest with you and say I have no idea what in Hades is happening.” Skylar throws her hands up. A look of utter confusion on her face. Will chucks a crumpled ball of paper at her. He motions for her to read it.

Obliging the blonde smooths out the paper on the coffee table behind her. Blue eyes scan wordlessly over the letters. It takes a moment but everything finally clicks. “Um, about that.”

“Oh please do enlighten us.”

“For the record I’ve been trying to find the right way to tell you. Also, some of this is translated loosely. Meaning the outcome differs from the truth.” Skylar frowns double checking to make sure her dyslexia wasn’t confusing her.

“What do you mean?” Sniffling Isaac sits up to face her. “I’m certain I got it right.” Instead of answering Skylar leaves the room to retrieve an item from her trunk. Just when the boys were going to yell for her to return she emerges from the room sitting back down in front of them.

“What I mean is some of us should stick to languages we know. No offense intended of course important facts have just been lost in translation.” Skimming through the book in her hand she stops on the page containing the words of warning from the scarred man at the diner. Handing the book over to them she continues to explain.

“The exact words are written there. Child of the sun is of course one of us born from Apollo. Manipulator of light narrows it down to myself of course. That is unless someone else magically knows how to use photokinesis to a great length. A major sacrifice as in I’ll have to give up something. It speaks of a traitor that of which Percy already informed us of.” She places Isaac’s translation right beside her own.

“It states I should beware death. However that could be a variety of things involved with the Underworld. Not just the taking of a life. Yet yours states that regardless of what I do I will die even after making a sacrifice. Does any of this make sense?” Skylar questions. Isaac’s brows were furrowed as he compared the papers.

“So...I’m worried over nothing?” He questions rubbing at his eyes.

“I didn’t say that.”

“Sky just...put this all in simpler terms.” Will groans growing more frustrated by the minute. His sister had a habit of not making sense when it came to prophecies and prognosis.

“Ah, right. Sorry I tend to speak in confusing riddles sometimes. Let’s see...basically I need to watch my back because someone wants to kill me. Probably because of what’s inside of me but I’m not one hundred percent sure.” As if on cue her hand produces an orb of concentrated light.

“That still doesn’t make me feel relieved.” Isaac sighs running a hand through his hair. He was beginning to calm down. “We’ve got your back though.”

Will nods in agreement. “There’s no way I’d let you die on me. If anyone’s meant to kill you it’ll be me.” He attempts a light joke. His fingers reach up to the tender bruise around her eye. “Is that going to affect your aim?”

“I’ll still be a better shot than you.” Skylar cracks a small smile. A flash of realization washes over her.

“Oh! I got something custom made for you bro.” Rifling through the cardboard box she passes the small wooden container to the blue-eyed boy. “I realize that you aren’t much of a fighter. Also your bowmanship could use a bit of work.” Will pops open the clasp revealing the contents. Six glistening bronze scalpels were displayed on red cloth.

“Should a situation arise where you go head to head with monsters or rogue demigods I wanted you to have something to defend yourself. You can pinpoint weak spots better than anyone I know. If you combine that knowledge and slice the right spot with these bad boys then poof! Instant monster dust.” Skylar sheepishly rubs her arm. “I’d just feel more relieved out there if you had something is all.”

Will places a comforting hand atop her head. “You sure put a lot of thought into this huh? I’ll gladly carry them then.” Isaac peers into the box pulling out the two daggers inside.

“Are these yours? Kind of lethal aren’t they?” The brunet questions turning the obsidian blade in his hand.

“Our enemies sure as sugar won’t go easy on us so why should I?” She grins. Getting up from the floor she turns her attention to the door. A muffled announcement could be heard over the camp’s PA system. The trio head to the front door standing on the porch to hear what is being said.

“ _All campers please make all final preparations and head to the vans. Time is of the essence.”_

“Well boys, looks like it’s showtime.”


	35. Phase One

Dressed in a fresh camp shirt, dark jeans and well worn laced boots Skylar sat in the van as they were transported to Manhattan. Strapped to her chest was a leather guard made specifically for archers. The lightweight material covered their heart allowing them to move more freely than those with full armor. Both of her daggers were clipped to each thigh. A quiver strap was hooked through her belt loops held together by a golden buckle. A small med pack was attached to the quiver strap.

Skylar’s blonde hair was gathered into a low ponytail. Spitfire remained in ring form but she spun it in anticipation. Attached to her wrist was Poppy’s bracelet. It was to offer the girl a sense of reassurance that she may be watching over her. From out the window she could catch a glimpse of the pegasi above the clouds. Blackjack and Ortus among them.

The van was packed to the brim. To the blonde’s right was Isaac. He swapped out his thick-framed glasses for contacts. His fingers were tapping against his leg brushing against her own. Beside Skylar on her left was Kayla. Her hands gripped a wooden bow, a quiver laid on her lap. Currently she stared outside the window watching the scenery go by. Her leg bounced up and down in anticipation. Austin, Will and Michael all squeezed in the bench seat in front of them. In the very back of the van, Mitchell and Lacy could be found. Pollux was in the driver’s seat and beside him was Annabeth.

After setting foot in Manhattan, they meet up with Percy. It stuck Skylar as odd to see him unaccompanied by Nico who to her knowledge left camp with the son of Poseidon. Choosing not to question it for now she tunes in to his explanation of the plan. According to him the Olympians fought Typhon, who ended up just being a diversion. His father, Poseidon even left his kingdom unprotected to assist in trapping the Titan. First and foremost they planned to request the help of Zeus up on Olympus. With his help they’d surely be able to defend Olympus. No one spoke a word even as they marched to the Empire State Building.

Heading up to the 600th floor with her fellow campers, Skylar sees the throne room empty. Shifting her gaze to the hearth in the corner her blue eyes fall upon Hestia. She nods at the goddess in greeting. The blonde would of approached her if Percy and Annabeth hadn’t done so first. Choosing to stand with her siblings Skylar waits to see what the two have planned. Chewing on her bottom lip she feels someone’s hand brush against her own.

“You’re getting antsy.” Will mutters from beside her.

“Can you blame me? Our plan isn’t exactly going how we want it to. Zeus isn’t here.” She glances around leaning closer to him. “Nico is missing too. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t worried.” Will gives his sister a reassuring smile.

“Nico’s strong he’ll be alright on his own.” Nodding at her brother’s words Skylar notices Percy and Annabeth return to the group. They ask all the campers to fan out and scout Olympus. Breaking off into smaller groups the campers obey. Surely they had to of found something out from the goddess of Hearth that would be of help.

Walking through a small park Skylar gets an aerial view of Manhattan. It was as if time was frozen throughout the whole city. From what she could gather all the mortals have been put under some form of sleeping spell. Most likely to prevent them from interfering with the battle. Part of her was relieved that they wouldn’t be awake to witness the events bound unfold in the future. The group of demigods begin to crowd around her each of them taking in the state of the city. Beyond Manhattan at the borders any cars that drove toward the city suddenly turned around as if in a trance. Turning away they travel back down from the mountain and exit the Empire State Building. Percy, who was unanimously elected the camp’s leader begins to give out orders.

“Michael, you and the Apollo cabin will defend the Williamsburg bridge. Katie take your siblings and head to the Brooklyn-Battery Tunnel. Connor divide the Hermes kids in half and go to the Manhattan Bridge. Travis take the remaining ones to cover Brooklyn Bridge. Silena the Aphrodite cabin’s got the Queens-Midtown Tunnel. Clarisse y-” Percy pauses momentarily forgetting the daughter of Ares refused to fight alongside them. Shaking his head he continues.

“Malcolm you’ll be leading the Athena cabin to the 59th Street Bridge. Jake take your siblings to the Holland Tunnel. Pollux you’ll go with them.” Percy finalizes.

“You’re forgetting the Lincoln Tunnel. We’ll defend it.” Thalia and the Hunters of Artemis join their army. Percy gives her a thankful nod. Now they may be able to keep Kronos back.

“You’re the greatest heroes of this millenium.” Percy told them all. “It doesn’t matter how many monsters they throw at us. Fight bravely and we will win.” He raises Riptide and shouts. “FOR OLYMPUS!”

Forty voices shouted in response. All of their voices mingle together. The sound bounced off the buildings. At the moment is sounded brave like they were ready for anything. Soon it was drowned out by the eerie silence of the city. Before they depart however it is suggested they have cellphones in order to call for backup. Although some are against the idea of stealing they each knick a phone from a sleeping New Yorker. Their lives were on the line after all.

Now that everyone had their designated area they dispersed. Will and Isaac share a temporary farewell as they part ways to join their siblings. The son of Aphrodite presses a kiss to the blond’s cheek before dashing off after his group. Skylar manages to catch Percy before he leaves with Annabeth. She questions him about Nico’s whereabouts not liking the way he fidgets from the question.

“He’s...in the Underworld. I told him to stay there and try to convince his father to aid us.” He tells the younger girl not wanting to reveal what they went through.

“What on earth were you two doing there..?” Shaking her head she looks up at him. “Nevermind now isn’t the time. I just hope your plan works out waterboy. We could be using Nico’s help.” Placing her fingers to her lips Skylar whistles. Ortus drops down from the sky allowing her to climb on. Together they take off in the direction of Williamsburg Bridge. She couldn’t shake the sickening feeling beginning to build in her stomach.

Standing before three gods was nerve wracking to say the least. Given the task of asking for their help was proving to be difficult. Choosing a different approach Nico stands tall. His fists were balled at his side. Even if they wouldn’t listen to reason he’d return to the surface and lend aid.

“I need you to show me what happened to my mother.” Nico's determination would not waver. He wanted answers and would not leave until he received them. Percy was put in danger because is father promised to tell him the truth but yet he still refuses. His chocolate brown eyes glance at the ceiling of his father's palace.  _Hold on a little longer. I promise I'll be there soon._

The Williamsburg Bridge was a large area for only a few Apollo kids to defend. Even so they began laying traps preparing for the inevitable assault that will plow through. Following Michael’s lead each one was strategically placed to do the most damage. Skylar set her own hidden ones made of light to fill up any gaps in their defense. She couldn’t set too many given the dreary state of the sky. Having more natural light at her disposal would of been ideal but she made do with what she had.

“All done here Michael!” Skylar calls shaking off the dizziness. She turns her ring into a bow and watches as Kayla places the final trap.

“Good! Let’s get back and wait. These monsters won’t know what hit them!” Michael replies

The Apollo cabin falls back behind the barricades and wait. Bows drawn they set their sights on the monsters approaching. Watching with bated breath the first trap is set off. Not long after a howl echoes across the bridge. An arrow soars through the air from Kayla’s position. The bronze tip pierces the flesh of a hellhound’s neck successfully downing it. Various other traps begin to spring immobilizing a few monsters. This allowed the Apollo children to pick them off one by one. Just as things began to run smoothly the situation took a drastic turn.

Leading a fresh wave of monsters was something Skylar hasn’t ever seen in person. It had the body of a man and the head of a bull. The entire upper half of the body was covered in hair. White underwear could be seen on it’s lower body. A Minotaur. One of the most infamous monsters in Greek Mythology. They’ve heard the story of Percy taking one on when he was twelve. Yet there was nothing that compared to the real thing. Most of the Apollo cabin were long distance fighters. Their arrows may not be enough to down the beast and it avoided their remaining traps.

Returning Spitfire to ring form, Skylar unsheathes her two daggers. Her voice shouts to be heard over the approaching monsters. “I’ll try and hold off the Minotaur. Call for backup. You guys take care of its lackeys!” Darting out of hiding she ignores protests from both Michael and Will.

“Skylar get your ass back here!”

“Sky don’t be reckless!”

Tightening the grip on her weapons she sidesteps as a club slams onto the concrete. A nice sized crater formed from the contact. Swallowing hard Skylar rushes forward slashing at the Minotaur’s legs. The monster moved faster than she thought as it avoided her attack. Gritting her teeth she leaps out of the way of another swing. _Just keep moving. Bide your time and wait for the right moment to strike._ Acting light on her feet the blonde waits for the perfect moment.

As the Minotaur makes another hole in the ground Skylar leaps onto the beast’s arm. Digging her feet into it she pushes off using it as a springboard. Flipping into the air she brings down her blades into the Minotaur’s fur covered back. It roars in anger flailing around. She manages to hold on for a minute before being flung off. Not wanting to land on her back Skylar flips in mid air sliding across the pavement once her boots hit the ground. Clicking her tongue she watches the bull get ready to charge. _Well so much for that idea._

A blur of white passes by the daughter of Apollo. Black and white gradient feathers fall before her eyes. An angry neigh rips through the air. Ortus slams his hooves into the Minotaur’s head giving Skylar an opening. Dashing under the monster’s arm she drives both daggers into the monster’s ribs. Enraged roars send a shudder down her spine. She whistles for Ortus to fall back running away herself. Blood pounded in her ears as the cloven footsteps of the Minotaur stomped after her.

“Schist! Where's our back up?!” She yelps running across the hood of a parked car. Her feet leap off the metal booking it again. A car is thrown in Skylar’s direction. Having no other choice she dives to the ground. Gravel scraped her arms and she presses her cheek to the concrete. The wind whistled over her head as the car flies over crashing into a cable of the bridge. _I’m definitely regretting pissing it off now!_

Someone in the sky yells her name. Looking upward she makes out the forms of Percy and Annabeth riding atop Blackjack. They dismount the pegasus and rush forward to fend off the Minotaur. Percy’s movements are swift and fluid. He fought fearlessly hacking and slashing. Any attacks the monsters threw at him basically bounced off. Annabeth fights alongside him perfectly. Her movements covered his back.  _Those two complement each other. Percy’s unstoppable._ Skylar thinks as she vaults over a concrete blockade along the bridge to make it back to her siblings.


	36. Phase Two

Rogue demigods entered the scene just as Percy puts the Minotaur out of commision. Skylar spots, from the corner of her eye, a dark haired boy with an eye patch make a beeline for Percy and Annabeth. Sheathing one of her daggers, she sees the blond head of her brother in the distance. He seemed to be having an altercation with a demigod that sided with Kronos. The blonde skids to a halt narrowly avoiding a sword aimed for her head. A few strands of her bangs are sliced in the process.

“You’re gonna wish you didn’t do that sweetheart.” Skylar growls blasting the demigod in the stomach with a ball of concentrated light. His body flies back landing on an upturned car. After making sure they’re out cold she continues on. Will was now a few feet away on the ground with a smirking teen over him. Weapon raised they bared it down on her defenseless brother.  

Will raises his arms over his face. His sky blue eyes shut in anticipation. Skylar shouts his name throwing her hands out in front of her. A stream of light shoots from her fingers tightening around the demigod’s blade.

“Now Will!” She calls grasping the rope-like material in both hands as the demigod thrashed to free their weapon.

“This is for betraying the camp.” Pulling his fist back Will socks the traitor in the face. A sickening crack is heard most likely a broken nose. “And this is for making me look bad!” Another swing to the jaw and the demigod is unconscious. Shaking out his hand Will turns to his sister.

“Impressive.” Skylar compliments holding a glowing hand over the cut on his cheek.

“Guy had it coming. Thought he could get me alone and make an easy kill. I think he forgot us Apollo kids are like a pack.” Will smirks as Skylar finishes healing him.

An anguished scream breaches the air. Annabeth crumples to the ground having taken a hit for Percy. The son of Poseidon drops down  beside her threatening to slice open friend and foe alike that got anywhere near them. Signaling BlackJack the son of Poseidon sends her to safety on the pegasus’s back.

Seeing more monsters spilling from the tunnel Michael hatches a risky plan. Kronos was now leading the charge in Luke’s body. Grabbing Percy’s attention he tells the son of Poseidon to flood the bridge. At first he hesitates seeing the potential devastation it could cause for both sides. Raising his hands he feels power surge through him.

Large waves of water smack into the bridge. The cables holding up the structure begin to snap one by one. Large fissures form in the concrete sending it into the churning water below. Feeling the bridge begin to shake, Will grabs onto Skylar’s hand pulling her behind him as they run away from the danger. As they ran the ground crumbles. One misstep and they’d fall to their death. Jumping to safety the last of their previously stable ground crumbles into the water.The twins meet up with Kayla and Austin a safe distance away. Percy and Michael seemed to be missing. Once all the turmoil subsides a large portion of the bridge is missing. Kronos’s army was washed away and any remaining forces retreated due to the gap.

“Holy Hera.” Skylar breathes out with her hands on her knees. Catching her breath she stands up straight.

“That was close.” Will sighs running a hand through his hair. All eyes are on Percy as he makes his way over. A frown evident on his features.

“Michael he... told me to flood the bridge. I-I think he went over.” Percy says. Dread fills their stomachs at the news. His phone rings and he answers. The person on the other line speaks briefly. Whatever was said made Percy’s seafoam green eyes churn like the stormy sea. Hanging up he turns to Skylar.

“Annabeth she...took a hit for me and needs urgent medical attention.” He pleads with his eyes asking for her help.

Biting her lip, Skylar turns to Will. She doesn’t miss the look of anguish in his sky blue eyes. “The rest of us will search every inch of this place for Michael. You go with Percy and help Annabeth. She needs the best of the best.” Her voice is stern yet laced with worry. She was worried about her friend but Will was the best healer. Will nods side hugging his sister and getting behind percy on a motorbike. After watching them speed off Skylar turns to Austin and Kayla.

“Let’s get searching. It’ll be impossible to find him when the sun goes down.” She tells the pair deciding to take charge. Whistling for Ortus she climbs on top of the pegasus as he lands. “We’ll search close to the water. If you find anything call me.” With that Skylar clicks her tongue. Ortus takes off flying to the side of the bridge’s fallen remains and down to the awaiting water below. They’d comb every inch of the place if it meant saving Michael.

Will wobbles slightly his face pale. Healing Annabeth earlier had taken a lot out of him. He informs Percy that Annabeth was no longer in any immediate danger. This brings the son of Poseidon to visibly sigh in relief. Making a list of needed supplies he hands it over to the Stoll brothers. As much as he detested stealing they were running low and this was an emergency. Mortal medicine would have to do. After overseeing a few other patients the blond was ready to collapse.

His mind was in turmoil. Michael was missing possibly injured or even worse. Skylar, Kayla and Austin had yet to return. Not to mention he hadn’t seen a trace of Isaac since they parted at the Empire State Building. Various campers laid on blankets or pillows scattered across the hotel’s large lobby. Each one of them looked exhausted having gave their all and this was only the beginning. Some had broken limbs while others nursed cuts or other various wounds. Leaning against a wall Will slides to the floor. The room around him began to spin. Before he realizes it his vision turns dark and his body goes limp.

Two hours pass and the sun casts its final rays of light across the land. Now bathed in darkness the siblings will have to call it quit. Too much time has gone by with no luck. It was nearing time for them to rendezvous with the other campers. Wanting to spend a little more time Skylar sends Kayla and Austin away on Ortus. They protest wanting to search longer but she forces them to go. If Michael truly was gone she couldn’t risk losing them too. Ortus take off into the air flying in the direction of the hotel the army hunkered down in. The pegasus would get them to safety faster and put her at ease. Summoning a ball of light she begins to search the area Michael was last seen once more.

Ocean blue eyes look over every inch of debri. Searching for any small sliver of evidence that would help them make a decision. Whether Michael lived or perished. Tears pricked her eyes and she harshly wipes them away with her arm. She and Michael didn’t always see eye to eye but she’d never wish for him to die.

Walking through the darkness her foot accidentally kicks something away. Thinking it to be of importance Skylar hurries forward kneeling down to shine light on the object. Biting her lip harshly she picks up the item. Rising to her feet the blonde begins the long walk to the hotel. Sadness and anger tore at her heart. The all too familiar feeling of loss seeped into her veins. Hot tears streamed down her cheeks. All she could think of was how she is going to break the news to the others.

“Will!” Two voices shout his name as they burst through the double doors. He jolts awake managing to make out the slightly blurred images of Austin and Kayla kneeling before him.  

“Where’s Sky? Did you guys find Michael?” Will asks shaking off the dizziness. Their faces fall at the question. He sits up straight searching for any sign of his sister. “Where is Skylar?” He questions again, this time more urgently.

“She sent us away with Ortus. Said she wanted to keep searching for a while. We..we couldn’t find Michael. But Skylar’s tough she’ll make it back here safe and sound.” Kayla pats his knee rising to her feet. She leaves him to help an Athena kid wrap a claw mark on his arm. Austin walks away as well to offer assistance to a Demeter girl who broke a leg. Will doesn’t miss the crestfallen looks they sported.

Burying his face into his knees Will lets out a long sigh. _Please just come back._ He thinks to himself hot tears threatening to spill from his eyes. A body slumps down beside him. His head snaps up so fast he almost gives himself whiplash. Sky blue eyes drink in the appearance of Isaac Mackenzie. Relief floods his body at the sight of his friend. A hand reaches over to grip his lacing their fingers together.

“I’m so glad you’re safe.” Isaac whispers bringing their intertwined hands up and kissing Will’s fingers. Sensing something was wrong Isaac pulls the boy closer allowing his head to fall on the brunet’s shoulder.

Will could only nod at the brunet. He looked a little worse for wear but not seriously injured. His green t-shirt had small holes in it and his jeans were caked in dirt. The jacket he previously wore was nowhere to be seen. Soot was smudged on his cheek and across his nose. A bandaid was placed directly above his right eyebrow. The son of Aphrodite’s silver locket dangled around his neck.

“What happened? Is it Skylar?” Isaac questions concern lacing his voice.

Shaking his head Will manages to find his voice. “Michael went off the edge of the bridge. Skylar’s still out there searching but…” He trails off not being able to finish.

Resting his cheek on Will’s mop of gold hair Isaac forms a response. “Don’t lose hope.” He murmurs rubbing the back of Will’s hand with his thumb. “Even if the situation seems bleak we need to push through.” Reaching beside him he produces a bottle of Gatorade.

Will accepts the beverage sitting up and drinking half of it in one go. He turns to Isaac setting the bottle on the floor. “What happened on your end?”

“Ran into cyclops. Blasted things almost lit a few of us on fire.” Isaac rubs his hand across the bridge of his nose further smudging the soot across it. “Thankfully we all made it out with small injuries and drove off the enemy forces without any casualties.” His green eyes widen at his last statement realizing how insensitive it may sound with Michael possibly no longer with them.

“That’s good..” His blond companion mutters blue eyes staring off into the distance. Placing his hand under Will’s chin Isaac forces him to look at him. Confusion flashes on his face momentarily. Leaning forward the brunet presses his lips tenderly to the son of Apollo’s. Sky blue eyes widen before falling shut giving in to the contact.

Isaac is the first to pull away. Leaning his forehead against Will’s he whispers against his lips. “It’s alright to let someone else put on a brave face in your stead.” This strikes a chord in the blond. Gripping the front of the brunet’s t-shirt, Will buries his face in his shoulder. Soft sniffles filled the air as tears trickled down his cheeks. Sometimes it was hard to remember he was only fourteen and fighting in a war that already potentially cost him one of his siblings. Will has always been the strong one so it was a relief to drop the facade for a change.


	37. Dream Within a Dream

It takes awhile for Skylar to show up. She moved cautiously in order to prevent leading monsters to base camp. In that time most of the demigods had turned in for the night. They seized the chance to rest while they still could. While some stood guard outside. Shouldering open the glass door the blonde stumbles inside. She almost runs into Silena who was walking out the entrance.

“Silena? You’re going out alone?” Skylar questions the daughter of Aphrodite. “It’s not exactly ideal at the moment. I had to travel backstreets to shake off a few pursuers on my way here”.

“I’m heading back to camp. Maybe I can convince Clarisse to come and fight with us.” Silena replies shifting her weight from one foot to the other.

“Then take Ortus, he’s the fastest we have. You’ll be able to get there and back in no time.” Walking back out the main entrance Skylar leads her to where Ortus was resting. Whispering a few words to the pegasus she takes the reins handing them over to Silena.

“Are you sure? You two are a team and I don’t want to disrupt that.” The brunet’s blue eyes look warily at the reins. Letting out a sigh Skylar forcefully puts them in her hands.

“I’m certain now please go. The others will be hoping for some good news.” With one final push Silena mounts Ortus. Giving her a warning to hold on, Skylar watches as Ortus shoots into the sky and flies toward Camp Half Blood.

Turning around she walks back to the entrance of the hotel. Nodding at the guards on duty she opens the glass door. Her boots scuff against the linoleum flooring producing a squeak. Whispering an apology to any campers she disturbed she walks deeper into the lobby. Ocean eyes search the sea of campers for any of her friends. Clutching the broken bow to her chest she weaves through sleeping campers. Spotting both Austin and Kayla asleep amongst the crowd she continues on.

“Skylar?” Stopping in her tracks Skylar sees Pollux rubbing at his violet eyes. He must of been sleeping until she walked past.

“H-hey Pollux.” She plasters a fake smile onto her face. Her blue eyes leave the son of Dionysus and continue to search the room.

“If you’re looking for Will he’s in the back. The guy’s been running himself ragged.” He points further into the room past a set of double doors. Letting out a yawn the older teen lays back down clutching a pillow to his torso.

“Thanks.” Murmuring a reply Skylar walks to the back and through the double doors.

In the second room she could make out many of her other friends. Annabeth laid fast asleep near a panel of windows. Her health seemed to of improved thanks to her brother’s handiwork. Beside her sat Thalia who was half asleep a broken bow in her lap. Even Connor and Travis Stoll sat in one corner of the room fiddling with something she couldn’t see. Percy was asleep on the left side of the room, his head leaning against the wall. The sight of the son of Poseidon filled her with mixed emotions. Skylar knew full well it wasn’t Percy’s fault that Michael was gone. However that didn’t stop the anger she felt toward him at the moment. Tearing her gaze from the dark-haired boy she spots Isaac and Will.

The boys sat with their heads on top of one another’s. Their hands sat on Isaac’s lap, fingers laced with each other’s. They slept peacefully despite the situation. Under normal circumstances she’d find the sight endearing. Right now she’s just happy they’re both alive.

Taking quiet steps as to not disrupt the room Skylar slides into the spot on Will’s left side. Her head falls into the lap of her brother. The snapped wooden bow in her hands is placed on the floor in front of her. She feels fingers run gently through her hair, Will performing the action while asleep. It was a habit he never realizes he’s doing. Skylar forces her eyes to close. Sleep wouldn’t come easy but the next time she wakes she’d be better prepared for what is to come.

_She recognized Hades’ Palace in the Underworld almost instantly. Torches lined the entryway each lit with blazing green flames. Walls made of obsidian surrounded her as she walked through the towering bronze door. The same bone-chilling feeling swept over her as if this wasn’t truly a dream. Rubbing her arms for warmth Skylar continues traversing. Voices reach her ears as she neared the throne room. They were slightly muffled but she recognized Nico, Hades and Persephone. Another goddess joined them and the only logical explanation would be Demeter. Why she was here instead of helping the other gods Skylar did not know._

_Reaching for the door handle the blonde phases through the door. Letting out a surprised yelp she stumbles into the throne room. Even with her intrusion the talking did not cease. Hades dismissed his son sending him to his bed chambers. Meanwhile Demeter and Persephone were both talking his ear off. The two women seems to be getting on the god of death’s nerves._

_Sky blue eyes meet that of dark obsidian. A flash of acknowledgement passes on Hades’ face. He stayed stoic unsurprised by her presence here. Can he see her? His eyes follow after Nico as he storms out of the room before landing back on her. Skylar nods respectfully hastening after the dark haired boy unknown to both Persephone and Demeter. “That’s strange...isn’t this a dream?” She mumbles to herself passing through a door she saw Nico slam shut._

_The Ghost King’s room was depressing...for lack of a better word. Each wall was bare of any decorations. Every piece of furniture was a shade of bronze or black. Fast food wrappers litter the floor and part of the bed centered in the room. Green torchlight supplied the lighting for the room. Small trinkets and souvenirs littered the top of a dresser among them Skylar spied the Mythomagic deck she gave him last Christmas. Nico began pacing the floor his hands finding their way into his hair tugging at the strands. The blonde watches her boyfriend brushing aside some of the garbage to sit on his bed._

_“I just don’t understand why he won’t just tell me. Not even Bianca will let me find out the truth. I deserve to know after all the years I wasted in that hotel.” Nico grumbles._

_“Perhaps they are just worried about you.” Skylar replies not expecting to be heard. Freezing, Nico whips out his sword pointing it in the direction of her voice. His chocolate brown eyes glared._

_“Who’s there?!” Curious the daughter of Apollo gets to her feet drawing closer to the boy. With each step she notices a faint glow form around parts of her body._

_“Easy there tiger Camp will be down a medic if you stab me.” Nico’s brows furrowed in confusion. He could just barely make out the shape of Skylar walking toward him. The closer she got the more solid her body became until the tip of his blade brushed her stomach._

_“How did you..? What are you doing here?” He questions lowering his sword and placing it back into its rightful place on his hip._

_“Dunno, dreaming I’m assuming. Not too sure how I’m here though.” Skylar shrugs with a smile. “It’s a good thing I am though because you don’t seem to be faring too well.”_

_“It’s none of your concern.” Nico brushes her off walking to a table she hadn’t noticed before. On top of it were various newspaper clippings. The dates varied from yesterday to ten years and then some._

_“You are my concern Neeks. When Percy returned without you he said you were trying to convince Hades to help. Yet it seems something else is gnawing at your mind.” She gestures to the table in front of him._

_“A literal war is happening as we speak and you’re worried about my problems? Skylar you can’t be serious.” The son of Hades sighs dejectedly at her._

_“Listen...do what you need to do Nico. I’m not here to argue. Just...many lives are on the line. If…” Skylar pauses swallowing the lump in her throat. “If Olympus is overthrown it won’t just affect those on the surface. The Underworld will be thrown into disarray. That balance we all need will be thrown off. Remember that.” Her feet cross the marble flooring. Hands reach up to caress his cheeks. Chocolate brown eyes filled with turmoil look up at her._

_“You’re starting to fade..” Nico says quietly his hands reaching to grip hers. Looking down at her feet she notices he is right. Particles of light came off her body making her vanish bit by bit. Shaking her head Skylar goes back to the matter at hand._

_“In my cabin, there is a book hidden under my pillow. Retrieve it but promise me not to read it until you speak with your father one last time.” Her voice is pleading yet stern._

_“I-I promise. Skylar even if I can’t get my father to listen I’ll be there.” Nico’s words bring a smile to her face._

_“Look at you, my dark knight. Duty calls, Titans to fight, demigods to heal. Same old routine.” Her laughter echoes as the last of her body vanishes leaving the son of Hades behind._

_Instead of waking like she assumed Skylar is thrown into a different scenario. Now placed on a harbor she makes out a raging storm not too far away. The wind whipped harshly at her skin, rain drenched everything in sight. A golden chariot lands beside her almost pushing her into the water. Regaining her footing, Skylar looks up at the driver. Despite the harsh glowing she could make out the figure doning golden armor over his regal robes. A sacred bow was held in one hand. Apollo. If he was here then that awful storm must be Typhon._

_Confused as to why she was there she voices the question. “Dad? Why am I here?”_

_“What no hello to your old man? I went through a lot of trouble so I could deliver a message.” Apollo places an offended hand on his chest. If it wouldn’t be showing disrespect to a god Skylar would of rolled her eyes._

_“Listen dad I respect you and all but please get to the point. I’m sure Auntie Artemis will come after you if you take too long. This is a life or death situation after all.”_

_Her father’s face becomes serious. A look she’s never seen often on the lighthearted man. “You may not be a part of the Great Prophecy but your actions hold influence behind the scenes. The power to give life and the power to take and manipulate. Use them and persevere.” With a snap of the reigns Apollo leaves her with those parting words to rejoin the fight._

_Skylar watches as her father flies away on his chariot. His words held weight in both her mind and heart. “Give and take huh..” She whispers allowing her body to fall backwards into the murky depths of the water._

Waking up a little later Skylar turns onto her back to find Will now awake. Isaac was missing but she doubted he left the building. Most likely he went for a walk or to find some food. The room was empty now save for the twins and the Stoll brothers, whose snoring filled the room. Percy, Thalia and even Annabeth disappeared.

“So it’s true after all. He’s really gone.” Her brother’s words come out hoarse. Michael’s broken bow still sat on the floor where she left it. Shifting her position Skylar buries her face in his stomach. Her arms grip tightly to the back of his shirt.

“I’m so sorry Will. I looked everywhere but I couldn’t find him.” She speaks into his shirt, the words slightly muffled. Will’s hands rub her back gently.

“Percy said it was Michael’s idea to flood the bridge. He knew it was dangerous but he still made him do it. That idiot…” Will trails off biting his lip.

“I was angry at Percy.” Skylar admits. “Thought that he cared more about defeating the Titan King than us. Like we were just pawns to be tossed away. I now know that isn’t true. Percy values his friends as much as I do. What happened was an accident but Michael died a hero.”

“Losing Lee was bad enough but Michael as well.” Will swallows hard. “He and I were just like how you were with Lee. Michael taught me to use a bow. As smart mouthed as he was he was patient even when we both knew I sucked. It...really hurts Sky.” He mumbles.

“I know it does but you’re not alone. I’ll be by your side and Kayla and Austin too. The situation isn’t ideal but the Apollo cabin needs a new counselor.” Skylar hugs him a little closer.

“Counselors.” He mutters.

“What?” She looks up at him.

“I can’t do this without you Sky. We’ll be co-counselors.” Skylar nods at the idea. She gets to her feet and stretches.

“Then let’s get to work.” Reaching out a hand she helps him up. Together they walk back into the main room. The sorrow they felt for their brother would be pressed down. There would be plenty of time to mourn when Olympus was safe. Michael Yew wouldn’t be forgotten. He’d live on in their memories just as Lee has.


	38. Taking a Breather

Campers that weren’t too injured prepared for the next fight. Whether it be sharpening their weapons or finding food to consume. The Apollo kids were working overtime to get most back on their feet. Thankfully a few of the Hunters of Artemis lent them a hand even if it was somewhat reluctantly. Skylar even found herself getting along with a few of them as they worked together. Once you got past the attitude a few of them harbored the girls could be very sweet. In a badass Hunter sort of way.

Many demigods took as much opportunity as they could to rest. Earlier Percy rejoined their group after leaving previously for a meeting with a Titan. By the looks of it he didn’t seem very pleased with the outcome. Skylar sat in front of Annabeth applying fresh ointment and bandages to her wound. The daughter of Apollo lightly scolds her friend for moving around so much. Annabeth was becoming restless since being told to take it easy. She wanted nothing more than to keep fighting by Percy’s side. Speaking of the son of Poseidon. It would seem that he fell asleep again. Maintaining the Curse of Achilles took a toll on his energy.

Dispersing the light in her palm, Skylar pats Annabeth’s knee. “Well Annie I’ve done all I can do. It shouldn’t hurt as much as it has previously but do take it easy.” Someone across the room calls her name. Rory, from the Hephaestus cabin waved an arm to grab her attention. “Duty calls.” Collecting her medpack the blonde turns to leave.

Annabeth goes to say something but allows the words to die out. _It can wait until later._ She thinks to herself watching Skylar walk over to another camper. The blonde wore a bright smile as she worked. It did wonders to boost the dreary mood hanging in the air. You’d never guess she was mourning the loss of a brother deep down. Skylar always believed it helped to smile even in the darkest of times. To keep even the smallest candlelight of hope burning in her friends. For fear that if she didn’t they’d fall too far for her to pick them back up again.

After wrapping gauze on Rory’s arm Skylar made good use of the hotel’s coffee machine. Filling a tray of cups she goes around distributing them to campers who refused to rest. Handing the final cup to Will she ruffles his hair.

“Thanks sis I’ll need the energy boost to keep up with the demands around here.” Will tells her taking a sip from the paper cup.

“It’ll only get tougher from here. Hang in there bro.” Squeezing his shoulder she drinks from her own cup of coffee. A content sigh escapes her lips as the caffeine begins to work through her body.

“I hope you two aren’t slacking off.” Isaac jokes walking up to them. Will offers him the rest of his coffee which he gladly accepts. He recently volunteered for search and rescue and just returned.

“How’d it go? You guys manage to find them?” Will questions.

“Only one, the guy broke a leg and was surrounded by monsters but we made it in time. Even if just barely…” Isaac mumbles the last part to himself. “Anyway, we’re moving to the Empire State Building, Percy’s orders.” The brunet nods to the son of Poseidon pacing the hotel entrance. Apparently they were going to make one final stand to protect Olympus. All the campers were to evacuate the Plaza Hotel.

So much had been happening that morning. Upon awakening she learned Percy and a group of campers took down Hyperion in Central Park. Shortly after he managed to dispatch automatons to counter Kronos’s Clazmonian Sow. Which was actually just a large and annoying flying pig that caused the son of Poseidon a lot of trouble. Then the party ponies came to their rescue when another wave of monsters came to attack. Rachel Elizabeth Dare, a mortal, risked her life in a helicopter to get information to Percy. Ultimately the army seized the chance to move to the Empire State Building while there was still a chance.

Springing into action the twins take the lead in transporting the injured. They advised how certain kids needed to travel. Those who could walk helped transport the ones that couldn’t. Any mortally wounded campers were transported on makeshift gurneys to make the trip. Under Will’s orders the Apollo cabin dispersed among the group. Austin traveled toward the front, kayla not too far behind him. Then came Skylar with Will left to bring up the rear. It was a necessary precaution when moving the injured. Half of their army has reached the Empire State Building without much trouble.

Bow drawn Skylar kept her eyes and ears open for any enemy movement. Pollux, who fell into step with her, had his sword drawn. Violet eyes scanning the crowd. The footsteps of their fellow campers filled the area. Heavy footfalls and the scraping of shoes against concrete from those dragging their weight. Reading a street sign Skylar notices it isn’t much farther until they reach their destination. They’d meet up with the other half of the army and stand their ground. Turning the corner Skylar leads them all the way to the concrete stairs. Pollux continues ahead leading them inside. Nodding to Will as he passes up the stairs Skylar brings up the rear helping a boy who was struggling to climb the stairs. He fell behind the rest dragging his leg.

“I gotcha don’t worry.” Skylar smiles reassuringly wrapping an arm around his waist. In turn the boy leans against the blonde girl with most of his weight. Together they take each step one by one slow but paced well enough to not lose time. As soon as they enter the doors Connor and Travis slam them shut. Leading the limping boy to the elevator she travels up to the highest floor. Olympus. As the doors open they walk to an unoccupied space and Skylar eases the teen to the ground.

“Thanks Skylar, appreciate the help.” He grunts shifting into a comfortable position.

“Glad to be of some assistance. Take it easy.” She departs from his side and enters the elevator. Those who are out of commission are to be moved onto the 600th floor. In the meantime everyone that could still wield a weapon remained on the main floor.

After exiting the elevator Skylar takes in the condition of her friends. Each of them housed an injury in one form or another. Miraculously she managed to make it this far without anything greater than a scratch on her upper arm. They did all they could for the wounded already. Without Ambrosia and Nectar any injures have to heal naturally. The Apollo children were burnt out using up most of their power on more critical cases. Skylar seemed to be the only one left with some ounce of healing but that could be due to her photokinesis. Clenching her eyes shut she takes a deep breath.

“I need some air.” Muttering to herself she weaves through the crowd. Nerves bundled in Skylar’s stomach the longer she remained inside. Even the light chattering of the room did nothing to satisfy her nerves. Sure she could use this time to sleep but every time she closes her eyes the blonde is plagued with thoughts of what is to come. Being cooped up in that room just made her more antsy. Stepping back outside Skylar nods to the Stoll brothers as she leaves.

It was a cloudy day. Despite that a few streams of sunlight managed to leak through. The warmth of the rays left her feeling refreshed. Much like how Percy feels recharged in water, Skylar found she was more energized in sunlight. Artificial light gave her some rejuvenation but not as much as natural did. Maybe that is why she always basks in the sun on her cabin roof every morning.

Opening a granola bar the blonde munches on it as she walks down the stairs of the Empire State Building. It was almost too tranquil to believe a war was going on. Most of the sleeping New Yorkers still laid about, too many to be moved by injured teenagers. She sits on the bottom step of the facility resting her arms on her knees. Ocean eyes scanned the immediate area for any signs of trouble. Not too far away the party ponies, who she learned to be related to Chiron, roamed the street. Mrs. O’Leary, the hellhound, curled up in front of Skylar. Her eyes may of been shut but the blonde could tell she wasn’t asleep.

The doors open a short while later as someone walks through them. Sneakers tap against the concrete stairs as the person descends toward where Skylar sat. Looking over her shoulder she halfheartedly waves at Isaac. Stopping on the last step the brunet sits down beside his friend. Truth be told they hadn’t talked much since the battle began. She did however, appreciate the fact that Isaac had been there for Will when she couldn’t. Sometimes all you really need is the presence of someone close during the hard times.

“This is reaching a breaking point.” Skylar murmurs earning a nod from Isaac.

“The enemy keeps coming at us with assault after assault. I understand it’s war and we can’t let Kronos win but...I’m starting to wonder just what it is we continue to fight for.” Isaac frowns to himself leaning back on his elbows.

“Even if we don’t do it for us, we need to keep fighting for those who can’t. The ones who are oblivious to this battle yet have lost their lives in the carnage.” Skylar replies stuffing her empty granola wrapper into her pocket. War or no war she wasn’t about to litter.

“Mhm...I can’t afford to give up now. Not when my dad’s waiting for me back home. I owe it to him for keeping me safe all these years. He better have a plate of chocolate chip cookies waiting for me.” Isaac cracks a small smile.

“That’s the spirit. Oh and some coffee, he makes the best.” Skylar agrees nudging Isaac with her foot.

Mrs. O’Leary sits up suddenly interrupting their conversation. Her droopy ears perked up listening for something. Skylar, not wanting to take any chances, grips one of her daggers and gets to her feet. Isaac follows suit already holding his battle axe. Sharing a look they follow the hellhound who began walking away from the building. Their guards were heightened the further they got from camp. The sounds of a crying child reaches her ears. Concerned Skylar quickens her pace. Isaac keeps up with her worried yet skeptical. For all they know it could be a trap.

“I’m not liking how far she’s leading us.” Isaac says to Skylar as they walk. The blonde nods at his statement.

“Just trust her Isaac.” Skylar nods at the large dog who slowed her pace. She agreed that it was unsafe however Mrs. O’Leary wouldn’t leave them astray without a reason.

The massive dog comes to a stop circling a nearby waste bin. Her nose nudged the side of the can almost knocking it over. A shriek comes from the container followed by choked sobs.  Skylar calls off Mrs. O’Leary reaching up to pat her furry side. She asks for the hellhound to return to where Percy and the others were resting. After giving Skylar a slobbery kiss goodbye Mrs. O’Leary bounds off. Sighing to herself the blonde wipes the saliva onto her shirt. Isaac stabilizes the trash can and peers inside. Hunter green eyes widen at who’s inside.

“Uh Sky? You need to see this.” Chewing on his bottom lip Isaac steps aside. Skylar tilts her head edging closer to where the noise is coming from. Dagger ready to strike she’s greeted by someone she never imagined to see again. Especially not in New York.


	39. All the Lies

Letting out a surprised yelp Skylar falls back onto her bottom. The Stygian Iron dagger falls onto the concrete. Ocean blue eyes stare at the metal bin in shock. Isaac looks between her and the person inside. His expression one of concern and confusion. A soft but scared voice calls out to her. Addressing her as politely as when they first met.

“M-miss Skylar?” They whimper poking their head further out of the trash. The face of a young boy stared back at her. Terrified hazel eyes. Fluffy dark brown hair was covered in food wrappers. Dirt caked the clothing they wore.

“Elliot?” Skylar couldn’t believe her eyes. Standing up she walks over to the young boy. With Isaac’s help they lift him from the garbage. His little hands latched onto her shirt with no intent on letting go anytime soon. The skin of his hands was riddled with various small scratches. Elliot’s knees were scraped caked in dried blood. Tears poured down his cheeks as he sobbed against her. Clutching the small boy close she allows him to let it all out. Her hands gently running down his back.

“Shh...you’re safe with me it’s alright now.” She whispers. Blue eyes look up at Isaac in disbelief. The son of Aphrodite shrugs in response kneeling down beside Skylar to place a gentle hand atop Elliot’s head. He embraces the comfort burying himself further into the blonde’s hold. It takes some time but his sobs soon turn into quiet sniffles.  

Skylar pulls away to apply first aid to Elliot’s injuries. Spreading ointment to the cuts on his hands she gently wraps the soft material around each finger. Elliot winces every once and a while during the process. Gentle words are spoken to further soothe the young boy. Snipping off the end she tapes it down so it won’t unravel. Placing bandaids on each of his scraped knees she begins to untangle his matted hair.

“Sweetie what on earth are you doing here?” Her voice comes out soft not wanting to scare him any further. Slowly she works the knots from his hair removing any stray pieces of garbage. Without a hair brush at her disposal she did her best using her fingers.

Wiping the snot dripping from his nose onto his shirt Elliot stammers a response. “M-mommy went to s-sleep like everyone e-else. I didn’t want t-to leave her but t-there were m-monsters so I hid in t-there.” His newly bandaged finger points to the trash can he was pulled out of. Isaac offers to search for his mother while they stay put. Skylar agrees shifting Elliot in her lap. She had so many unanswered questions but debated on whether to ask them.

“No! I-I want to look for her too!” He shouts reaching out to grab Isaac’s pant leg before he can leave. Raising an eyebrow Isaac looks over at Skylar. He didn’t have a problem with it but safety was an issue. They’ve already been away from camp for a while. It was bound to raise some questions soon. Letting out a sigh she grasps Elliot’s hand in her own. Getting up from the ground Skylar walks allowing him to come along. Isaac follows taking his place on her right.

Elliot describes his mother as best as he can. Skylar compares it to the vague image she already had from seeing her once before. Dark curly brown hair. Tan skin. Her clothing consisting of a beige trench coat, jeans and boots. The trio search every car and every face of the people they come across. After searching for around ten minutes they were about to call it. If Isaac and Skylar are gone for too long it could raise some questions. Not to mention Will might go out of his mind and come looking for them. Isaac stoops down beside a smashed in Honda civic and waves Skylar over. Setting down a piece of metal she was previously searching under the blonde joins his side. Elliot grabs onto her hand peeking past her to look.

“M-mommy? That’s my mommy!” He shouts trying to push past them to get to her. Isaac and Skylar hold him back despite his insistence.

“Sky she...doesn’t look good.” Isaac murmurs in her ear as she looks past him at the woman. Skylar’s heart sinks at this. Wanting to inspect further she turns to Elliot who finally ceased his pushing.

“I’m going to check on your mom. You stay with Isaac for now okay? He’ll keep you company until I finish. I’ll be right over there if you need me.” Nodding reluctantly Elliot wanders off with the teen. A bad feeling pools in Skylar’s stomach. Her eyes fall on the woman and she kneels down checking for a pulse. Holding her fingers to the woman’s wrist she comes up with nothing. Swallowing the bile in her throat she tries searching for one near her neck. Still nothing although there was a small hole present on the skin. _No monster did this, it resembles a needle mark._ Panic built up in her chest checking everywhere she possibly could for any sign of life.

“No...no way…” The blonde whispers almost silently as to not alert Elliot. “Could she of been caught up in one of our battles?” Shaking her head Skylar stares down at the woman. _This can’t be real. It just can’t be._ Gently she brushes back some hair from Elliot’s mother’s face. Tilting her head to the side a pool of vomit and dried blood becomes visible. Forcing back the urge to puke Skylar chooses to search for more evidence pertaining to what transpired.

Not wanting to disturb the body too much Skylar moves on to the handbag discarded to the side. Sifting through it she doesn’t find anything resembling a syringe. That eliminates the possibility of Elliot’s mother supplying it herself. Her fingers clasp around a bottle. Pulling it out Skylar notices it’s a prescription for treating schizophrenia. However the name of the person it is prescribed to is scratched out. Shoving the bottle inside her medpack she looks back to Elliot. His hazel eyes are fixated past Isaac at his ‘sleeping’ mother. _Oh Elliot. I’m so sorry sweetheart._

“W-why won’t she wake up?” His question broke her heart even further. Isaac was at a loss for words. His green eyes pleaded for Skylar to say something.

“Elliot your mom...she...she’s very tired. It would be best if we let her rest.” Skylar gingerly places a hand on the boy’s back having walked over to the pair. She wasn’t sure how to word it for the young boy. If her assumption is correct then there could be a potentially bigger problem in the works.

“I-I know what that means...Hades is gonna judge my mommy to see if she was good or not.” Tears pooled in his eyes once more. Wanting to save the boy from any further heartbreak she begins to lead him away. Elliot jerks away from her hold running back to his mother’s corpse. His fingers reach into the pocket of the woman’s coat taking out an item. Whispering a final goodbye he returns to the awaiting teens.

“All ready to go?” She smiles sadly placing a hand atop his head. Elliot nods softly placing the item inside the pocket of his shorts. Turning around she allows the young boy to climb on her back. “Come on then, I know someone that’ll be surprised to see you.” Once his arms wrap around her neck she stands hooking her arms under his knees. Skylar and Isaac walk in the direction they came with intent on bringing Elliot to camp.

“This doesn’t sit well with me.” Isaac grumbles. “I mean who would go out of their way to kill a sleeping mortal?” He inquires with his axe at his side nodding at Elliot who remained quiet. Skylar feels his head rest against her back his fingers toying with the camp necklace around her neck.

“I’m not sure. They’re unwillingly made victims of a war.” Skylar frowns. “It’s sickening.”

Elliot didn’t seem to know anything about their world except for her story. Nor did his mother make it known upon their first and final meeting. This whole thing was just too bizarre. Who would purposely target mortals in a war of the gods? Then there’s the state of Elliot’s mother. It reeked of foul play. Most likely someone poisoned the woman while she was asleep.

Deep in thought Skylar snaps back to reality when Isaac pushes her out of the way of a throwing knife flying toward her. The blade ricochets off a streetlamp and clatters to the ground. Startled she just manages to regain her balance trying not to jostle Elliot too much. His arms reflexively tighten around her neck. Supporting the boy with one hand Skylar produces light with the other. Isaac had his axe raised searching the area. A street over from this location an explosion rings out. Screams and yells mix together a sign of an enemy attack. It was dangerously close to base camp. As worried as she was about her fellow campers it seemed they had their own situation to take care of first.

“Show yourself!” Isaac shouts his green eyes searching the area where the knife was thrown. Clapping comes from a nearby fire escape. Both teens focus their attention on the area. The figure wore a cloak, the hood obscuring their face.

“Bravo. Points awarded for surprisingly quick reflexes.” Something about their voice was familiar to Skylar. Placing Elliot on the ground she tells him to hide behind a nearby car. Doing as told the brunet scurries off ducking down behind a beat up taxi cab. Isaac and Skylar watch the figure as they jump from the fire escape landing perfectly fine onto the pavement.

“One of Kronos’s boys I presume. No, scratch that, a girl. By the way you’re dressed I’d say a spy maybe even an assassin.” Skylar glares as the person draws closer. Her posture was confident as if she was better than anyone.  

“Good for you Skylar. Seems I may of misjudged you.” The girl laughs twirling another throwing knife in her hand. Isaac and Skylar grew more tense the closer she got. Blue eyes stayed focused on their opponent bracing for any sudden moves. Whoever this person was they meant business. One misstep and the cost would be fatal.

“It’s a pity you know my name yet I don’t know yours. Care to enlighten me?” Skylar asks the light in her palm going stronger. “Or should I just blast you away now and ask questions later?”

“Quite the facade you’re putting up. I can see the way your fingers tremble. I’m hurt you don’t recognize a school friend.” In a flash the cloaked figure rushes forward now with a dagger in hand. Her target was Isaac. His axe just barely blocks the attack wincing as the blade grazes his arm. Skylar yells for him to close eyes as she crushes an orb onto the ground. Blinding light fills the area. Working fast Skylar concentrates most of her energy into the ground for later use. _Please work._

As the light fades Skylar unclips her daggers. She’d feel more confident with a bow but even her speed paled in comparison to the foe they faced. Furrowing her brows she recalls the female’s previous statement. _I went to school with them?_ Familiar or not she wouldn’t allow harm to come to Elliot or Isaac. Looking back up at their opponent she sees the girl’s hood slide down. Blue eyes widen in horror at the sight.

“A-Avery..?”

Time stood still. Disbelief flashed on Skylar’s face. Blue streaked dark hair. Piercing amber eyes. It was indeed Avery. Someone she always thought to be a mortal that unknowingly befriended a group of demigods. A girl she called a trusted friend. Hands gripped their respective weapons tighter. Isaac let out a strangled gasp his green eyes fixated on the dark-haired girl.

“Hello again Skylar, Isaac. Fancy meeting you here.” Avery rushes at Skylar. Their weapons collide sending a loud clang through the street. It was soon muffled by the fighting of each of their comrades not too far away.

“I don’t want to fight you!” Skylar yells at the dark haired girl. She may of betrayed her trust but deep down she wanted to believe there was still good left in the amber-eyed girl.

“I don’t have a choice and neither do you. This is how it has to be.” Avery hisses. Isaac enters the dark-haired girl’s line of sight as he moves to comfort a now crying Elliot. The poor boy was terrified beyond belief. Skylar’s gaze shifts as well although very briefly. A smirk adorns Avery’s pink lips.

“Ahh I see. You won’t go all out without a reason. Have it your way then.” Spinning around, Avery jabs her elbow into Skylar’s back to bypass her. Her combat boots slapped against the asphalt rushing toward Isaac and Elliot. The green-eyed boy used his body to defend Elliot from Avery. This left him wide open. She brings her arm back thrusting a knife at lightning speed.

Isaac braces himself expecting the blade to pierce his flesh. When it doesn’t he looks up noticing what intercepted it. A clear wall physically separated the boys from Avery. Her dagger was sliced in half. One part on each side of the wall. Skylar shouts Avery’s name causing the girl to snap her head to the blonde. Her hand was placed on the ground pulsing with light.

“Leave them out of this.” The tone Skylar used was cold and harsh. It completely contrasted with her usual upbeat one.

“Oh Skylar, when will you learn to never trust your eyes?” The smirk on Avery’s face made Skylar’s blood run cold. A pained yell comes from Isaac’s direction. His arm was forced behind his back by a...clone? Skylar’s forced to her knees as pink tendrils of sparkling magic pinned her arms back. Her dagger is forced from her hand clattering onto the asphalt. The wall she previously created to protect the boys dissipates.

“Funny thing about my mother. She never gets the recognition she deserves. Especially with the gifts she bestows her children with. Magic and illusions. I embraced them both.” The figure standing in front of Skylar vanishes into pink mist. This left the real Avery standing behind Isaac bending his arm back at an awkward angle. Before Skylar could even get a word out the dark haired girl snaps it back eliciting a scream from Isaac. She kicks his body to the ground watching as he caresses his now broken arm.

“Stop this Avery! If you want to take your frustrations out on someone then do it to me.” Skylar tells the amber-eyed female who grabbed Elliot by the front of his shirt. The boy squirms in her grasp only resulting in having a blade pressed to his throat. Tears poured from the young boy’s eyes. For a moment Avery hesitates. Her hand holding the dagger twitches and although barely visible Skylar sees it. Using this action to her advantage she continues.

"Avery you do have a choice. If you stop now you can come to our side. We can protect you from whatever is making you fight us. We'll pretend this little altercation never happened." Skylar tries to prevent more carnage by pleading with her. Avery shakes her head furiously at the blonde's words.

"I can't go back. Not after everything I've done." She visibly winces at the thought. "This was never supposed to happen. If you died back in the forest as planned you and I wouldn't be in this position. We never took into account the son of Hades interfering."

"The forest from capture the flag?" Skylar thinks about all the out of place things that have happened. It all began with a Hellhound being let in the camp. That same night her and Nico teamed up to defeat it. Ever since then it seemed like someone always knew the perfect time to start trouble. Nico being tricked by a cyclops and lured outside of camp. Isaac and Dylan’s confrontation on the cliffside. Flying to Texas only to find the son of Aphrodite hunted them down and attacked the mall. Poppy… Was Avery saying she caused all that?

“Get it through your thick skull! I was never your friend. I’ve been spying on you long before we ever met. Which is why one of us won’t be making it out of here alive. My mission ends here.” Raising her blade she slices Elliot’s cheek and throws him onto the concrete. He lets out a wail pressing his bandaged fingers to the wound. Avery wipes the blood off onto her cloak and walks calmly in Skylar’s direction. Her face was expressionless. As if the girl was incapable of feeling any remorse for her actions.

Skylar was beside herself. The blonde wanted nothing more than to run to Elliot and comfort the crying boy. Her feet just wouldn’t move. She didn't want to believe it. That the one she called a friend had betrayed her. Someone she thought she knew only turned out to be a spy all along. Biding their time watching her and those she came in contact with. Working silently behind the scenes from the beginning. Trapping, killing, interfering any way they could all the while not being seen once. Using everyone Skylar cared about like puppets on a string. It was sickening. Avery would pay for her actions.

“NO!” Fury flashed in her sky blue eyes. Blasting away the bindings that held her down Skylar stands once more. Her feet moved on their own running toward Avery. One foot after the other. A dagger was drawn at her side, the one Nico gave her.

Their weapons collide once more. A series of quick paced clangs reverberate off the building. Another loud boom and rubble falls just around the street corner. This goes unnoticed by the dueling girls but Isaac makes out the shape of a large monster amongst the dust coating the area. He winces holding his broken arm to his chest and gets to his feet. Shuffling over to Elliot he lifts the boy up with his uninjured arm. While Avery was distracted he’d find somewhere safer for Elliot and double back to assist Skylar. Holding the sobbing boy to his chest Isaac takes one last look at Skylar before disappearing down a backstreet. With any luck he’d make it back in time. _Hold on Sky I’ll come back for you._


	40. Skylar Solace

War was atrocious. All the blood, tears, and death. It was sickening that this is what the world had come to. Skylar sympathized with those who felt neglected by their godly parents. Even going as far as to say she didn't agree with some of the ways Olympians chose to run things. However, not once did she believe endangering innocent lives in violence caused between their opposing forces to be the answer. Seeing all the bodies begin to pile up left her feeling ill. Just the sheer fact that mortal and mystical lives alike were pawns to Kronos made her blood boil. Who was he to dictate what is right and wrong?  
  


Skylar Solace was a fighter. Above all else she was a healer. The one to mend broken bones and close open wounds. Offering comfort and compassion even when all hope seemed to be lost. Lifting spirits behind the scenes. Protecting those who may seem sturdy on the outside only to crumble inside. She fights for Camp Half Blood. For her family. For the friends she's both gained and lost along the way. Which is why Skylar would save everyone she could.

No matter how much she wished for it, Skylar would never be just a normal girl. Learning to live with powers, quirks, and faults was just a part of life. With the right people by your side anything is possible. So use everything you have at your disposal to save someone from themselves. Even if said person is trying to maim you.

Flashes of yellow light and pink mist blurred together the fiercer the fight became. Avery’s magic danced around her fingers manipulating it into clones and other illusions to aid her. Skylar countered her illusions with sporadic bursts of light. She used every trick, weapon, and tactic ever to be created with her Photokinesis. Words of insult spouted from Avery’s lips in an attempt to egg on the blonde even further. While Skylar stayed silent opting to let actions speak louder than words. She wanted very to pay for all she’s done but didn’t wish for her death. Maybe, just maybe the blonde would be able to turn the table in her favor. That is...if her plan didn’t backfire.

A hand grabs harshly onto her upper arm. In an instant her vision blurs, the sight of the street she previously stood on shifting to that of a rooftop. They were now atop an apartment complex. Skylar had a clear view of her fellow campers fighting against monsters. Chiron could be seen wielding his bow. A sudden force blasts into the centaur sending his body into a nearby building. Piles of rock and metal collapse on top of him. Kronos had arrived on the battlefield. He tossed aside anyone who dared getting in his way. Skylar wanted to scream. Her friends were becoming incapacitated one by one. A girl decked in armor drove a chariot along the street dragging the beast behind her and screaming bloody murder. Clarisse had finally arrived. Ortus was one of the pegasus hooked to the contraption. Silena made it back successfully with the Ares kids.

As his remaining forces made a distraction Kronos went inside The Empire State Building. Percy, Annabeth, and Thalia followed after him. Two mortals, a man and a woman who looked like Percy’s mother fought off a dracaena. Another group of familiar faces catch her eye. Riding on a chariot as black as the night sky was Hades. By his side was Persephone and her mother Demeter. Nico let out a shout calling upon wave after wave of the undead alongside his father. _They’ve got things handled from here. Now for me to deal with Avery and get back to them._

The blonde ducks narrowly avoiding a punch and tackles Avery to the ground pinning her arms down. She had enough of senseless fighting. Avery was going to listen to reason whether she wanted to or not. Skylar’s hands glowed brightly bathing the area in the warm light. It leached out spreading thinly over the ground and across most of the rooftop.

“You don’t have to say anything but you will listen to me. My friends will stop Kronos. They will fight until their dying breath to make sure it happens. So you and I are going to have it out until you get it through that self pitying head of yours that I am going to save you. I’ll break the shackles that bind you to this internal torment and free you from the past.” Skylar gives Avery a look filled with determination. Her blue eyes burning bright like the flame lit within her.

“Why…?” Tears fill Avery’s amber eyes. “Why do you have to do this to me? I-I can’t even save him.” This peaks Skylar’s interest. _Finally you’re opening up._

“Save who?” She asks loosening her hold on the girl’s wrists but still sitting on her.

“They have my dad. Told me if I didn’t find and kill Skylar Solace, the twin that could wield light, they’d kill him. Now he’s going to die because I’m a failure.” Avery sobs.

“We’ll get your dad back. When the war is over you and I can go rescue him.” Skylar supplies trying to make light of the situation.

“You’re not understanding me. We’ll all be dead soon.” Avery nods at an air conditioning unit on the rooftop. Attached to it was a strange device with a timer, the numbers counting down. Inside was a swirling cloud of purple gas. “That has enough poison in it to kill everyone on this block. Including those you deem safe inside The Empire State Building. It’ll go off when the timer ends”

“Avery what on earth are you doing?! Those people down there have nothing to do with this!” Skylar yells at the dark-haired girl and runs over to the device. She looks at the timer counting down and bites her lip. There wasn’t much time left about ten minutes before everything is subjected to the poison. _This is my big decision. The one that will save many lives or cost them. Wonderful._  

Isaac runs through the wreckage covering the street in front of The Empire State Building. Elliot held onto him tightly his face hidden in his shoulder. He saw Nico enter the battle and saw that as a chance to get Skylar some help. He couldn’t go up against Avery alone but with Nico’s help they’d have a chance. Green eyes searched through the carnage for the son of Hades. When he finally finds him he’s stabbing a sword through a Laestrygonian Giant.

“Nico!” Isaac yells grabbing Nico’s attention. A deadly look is apparent on his face as Nico looks over at the brunet. He runs over to the son of Hades panting hard.

“Mackenzie? What are you doing here?” He demands glancing around for any monsters that decide to attack while they’re talking.

“S-Skylar she needs help. We were helping Elliot when we were attacked by Avery. She stayed back to by us time. I-I need to go back and help her.” Isaac sets Elliot on the ground tears welling up in his eyes from the sharp pains in his arm.

“No. Your arm is broken you’ll just be a liability in this state.” Turning his back on Isaac he heads  toward the battlefield. It was his way of ensuring the brunet didn’t die out there. As much as the son of Aphrodite got on his nerves he couldn’t allow him to throw his life away. Gripping his sword tighter he leaps back into the fray. Chocolate brown eyes glance at the unusual glowing coming from one of the buildings. Before he could question it he’s forced into another fight with a giant. Isaac watches the son of Hades hack away at anything that chose to stand in his way. The ruthless demeanor sent a shiver up his spine.

“Let’s get inside it’s too dangerous out here.” Isaac murmurs to Elliot ushering him forward.

“M-mister Isaac? Is miss Skylar going to come back?” The boy sniffles looking up at the teen.

Isaac chews on his lip glancing down at the fluffy-haired boy. “Y-yeah kid, she will.” He forces open the doors finding a group of hunkered down demigods in the lobby of The Empire State Building. Most of them too injured to go out and fight. Any fighting was passed on to Hades, Nico and what remained of the Party Ponies. A healer was working among them. His familiar blonde hair covered in dirt and tired blue eyes narrowed in concentration. Mitchell, Isaac’s half-sibling, was among the injured.  

“Isaac! Holy Hera what happened to you?!” Mitchell let out an alarmed noise when his eyes fell on his battered brother. Will ceased what he was doing to look at the commotion. Isaac forces a small smile on his face plopping on the ground near the blond.

“Where have you been? Gods...your arm and where is Skylar? Nobody had seen a trace of you two since the fighting started!” Will frets getting to work on setting Isaac’s arm with the tools at his disposal. Elliot, who was hiding behind Isaac steps out.

“U-um please don’t be mad at him. He and miss Skylar were helping me.” Elliot whimpers rubbing at his arms.

“Elliot? What the…” Shaking his head he shoves a cloth in Isaac’s mouth for him to bite down on. Counting down from three he grips his arm and snaps the bone into place for healing. A muffled scream reaches his ears and he bites on his lip wrapping it snug and placing it in a sling. Will murmurs apologies to the brunet as tears trickled from his green eyes. Whatever transpired must of been major for him to return without Skylar and with a boy he never imagined to see again. Resting his head in the blond’s lap Isaac begins to tell him everything from the beginning.

“I didn’t mean for it to go this far. That’s their insurance policy in case I can’t kill you. So it’s really a shitty situation.” Shrugging Avery gets to her feet and grabs a throwing knife from her belt.

“Did those orders  include letting the werewolves kill Poppy? What about Elliot’s mom? Did they deserve to die?” Blue eyes narrow at the girl. A dagger was gripped in one hand while the other held an orb of light.

“Wait what? Skylar I didn’t ki-”

“They were innocent in all of this.” Skylar snaps, her palm glowing with light. Avery backs away quickly gathering a ball of pink magic. “You’ve lost the right to just give up you hear me? I’m making sure you atone for all you’ve done!” Thrusting her hand forward a stream of light leaves her palm. Avery grunts countering it with her own magic.

After a collision of each of their magic causes a layer of smoke the girls break apart blending in with the cover. Skylar remained motionless her arms relaxing at her side. Taking a deep breath she allows her eyes to fall shut. Cutting off her sense of sight she concentrates. Power builds up within her body. It traverses through every vein spilling out beneath her feet. She’d only have one shot. One wrong move and everything she’s been fighting for would of all been for nothing.

“I’ll save them...I promise.” Skylar mutters her blue eyes snapping open and grabbing onto Avery who was sneaking up behind her. She whispers a few words to the dark-haired girl whose eyes widen then narrow. Reaching up to the bluetooth hidden by her hair, Skylar makes a call.

“Will you there?” She asks.

 _“Sky?! Thank the gods! Isaac told me everything where are you I’ll come find you myself if I have to.”_ Will’s voice brought tears to her eyes. Shuffling was heard on the other end as he got up.

“Will just listen to me. You’re the best twin I could of ever asked for and I love you so much. I-I don’t ever tell you that enough. Keep an eye on Nico for me. Don’t let him fall back into the dark. Tell Isaac none of this is his fault okay? I-I’m so sorry…” She presses the button to end the call before he can utter another word. Ocean blue eyes looked back to Avery. Her boots scuff the edge of the rooftop. Swirling particles of light circled around her body as she and Avery held knives to each other’s throats.

“I never wanted it to come to this Skylar. I’m sorry.” Avery’s voice wavers.

“I’ll go out with a bang. Just like I always wanted.” Skylar laughs sarcastically. The raw power surrounding them had reached its peak. She couldn’t contain it any longer. Dropping her hand holding the Stygian Iron dagger a blinding explosion tears across the roof. Those on the ground had to shield their eyes from the display. Including both Nico and now Will who were running toward the apartment complex.  

It all happened in the blink of an eye. A strong force crashes into Skylar’s body. Her grip loosens on Avery. Someone screams and suddenly she’s weightless. She’s falling. Faster and faster. The wind whipping at her singed clothing. A thud. Something snaps. Everything felt as if it was burning with white hot flames. Blood pools on her shirt and coats the sidewalk. Unfocused blue eyes stare at the sky. A blurry face enters her view, their words muffled. Blue eyes slide shut giving in to the darkness. Her chest stops rising laying still after releasing one final breath.

Avery watched from the rooftop as a boy with golden hair picked up Skylar Solace’s body. His yells and cries of agony echoing off the buildings. Behind him stood a boy clothed head to toe in black. The sword he clutched clattered to the ground, chocolate brown eyes wide in horror. His knees collide with the concrete falling beside his girlfriend’s corpse.

“Skylar please...o-open your eyes.” Will pleads moving the blood soaked hair from her face.

“T-this can’t be real. It’s just a sick joke.” Nico mutters in disbelief. His fingers grab harshly at his hair shaking his head. Swirls of black shadows pooled around him as his emotions lost control. “I-I can’t sense it.” He couldn’t feel her life source. Never again would he feel the warmth of her touch or hear the sound of her voice. No more cheesy jokes or oversung Disney songs. Just another empty feeling clasping around his heart.

Tears fell down Avery’s cheeks in a steady stream. She hide from view watching as the boys depart with her body and disappear behind the doors of The Empire State Building. The war seemed to be over. All the gods had disappeared from the battlefield. Any monsters left either fled or were disposed of. Injured demigods nursed their wounds and gathered the bodies of their fallen warriors. Turning on her heel she’s met with the very person that caused all her pain.

“Damon.” Avery utters his name with distaste. Damon was a head taller than herself with tan skin and piercing green eyes. His black hair was tucked neatly into a bun atop his head. He wore a tank top that showed off his muscles accompanied by jeans and flip-flops. If he wasn’t the direct result of so many people dying she’d find him to be attractive.

“Good work. A bit flashy for my taste but it got the job done. Now you get to put this all behind you and go home with daddy isn’t that great? He’s even waiting for you fast asleep like a good mortal.” The older teen chuckles while clapping his hands. He turns and starts disarming the device with his tools. Avery remains silent watching him work her hands clenched at her sides. The nails digging into the flesh of her palms from anger. Amber eyes focus on the dark dagger discarded by her boot. A memento of Skylar. Bending down she clips it to her belt.

“I have to say I didn’t think you had it in you but once again you proved me wrong. It’s a shame that this is goodbye but a deal’s a deal.” Damon chuckles placing the device into his bag now that it was unarmed.

“Just answer me something. It’s the least you could do.” Avery requests walking over to him as he stands.

“Let me guess. You want to know why I chose Skylar Solace out of all the people on this miserable Earth?” He smirks shifting his gaze onto the female. “There hasn’t been a child of Apollo with that amount of control over Photokinesis for centuries. I saw her as a threat and needed her to be terminated. No hard feelings.” Damon laughs making Avery’s blood boil. He turns his back giving Avery a carefree wave.

“So you had me get rid of her because you were scared of her power? Was the threat you made even real?” Amber eyes glares at his retreating back.

“She was dangerous simple as that. Oh you mean this?” He lifts the duffle bag. “As real as I lead you to believe. It contains nothing more than a bit of knock-out gas. Guess it’s a good thing you came through then.” Damon snickers walking to the fire escape. His hand barely touches the ladder when a startling pain comes in contact with his back. Eyes wide he turns around to face Avery. She had a pair of throwing knives in her hand. Looking over his shoulder he registers one lodged in his skin.

“Y-you…” He coughs, blood trickling from his mouth. Avery allows a scream to rip from her throat tackling Damon onto the concrete. Skylar’s dagger was gripped between her hands. Raising it high above her head she ignores his pleas. Repeatedly the weapon in stabbed into his chest as broken sobs wracked her form. Blood splattered both her clothing and the ground. The teenager had already breathed his last breath as all her anger poured out at once. Apologies aimed at the sky sputtered from her lips as she climbed off of Damon’s corpse. Wiping harshly at her amber eyes she descends the ladder leaving behind the events that unfolded on the rooftop.

Nico didn’t realize he was crying until the elevator doors opened up to Olympus. Wiping his eyes harshly onto his jacket sleeves he makes his way to the throne room. Taking each stone step one by one he arrives at the top. He’s beckoned to his father’s side and wordlessly sits in front of him.

A hand is placed on Nico’s shoulder but he doesn’t look up. Chocolate brown eyes staring straight ahead at nothing in particular. His thoughts circling around in his mind. He listens to the gods reassure that all Hunters and Demigods would reach Elysium. Tyson receives a promotion becoming general to his father’s cyclops army. Grover became a member of the Council of Cloven Elders and Lord Protector of the Wild. Annabeth became an architect like she always dreamed. She’d be responsible in overseeing the repairs done to Olympus. Percy, although offered immortality, turned it down and made a different request instead. He wanted all the gods to recognize all the children they’ve had and that they’d have a place at Camp Half Blood to go to. That included acknowledging all the minor gods and giving them cabins of their own. Hades would even have his own cabin built as a result. The gods all agree to his terms and swear on the River Styx.

Nico departs from his father’s side and down the stone steps. He doesn’t stop walking until he reaches the corpses of the fallen. Kronos’s army lost hundreds of demigods while they only lost seventeen. However those seventeen held significant weight to those who were still among the living. Clenching his fist he walks to a small group gathering around where he departed from Will. Austin and Kayla were distraught having lost both Michael and Skylar to this insufferable war. Will pulled the two into his chest resting his head against theirs as they cried.

Isaac stood at the Will’s side his hand shielding his green eyes trying to stop the tears. Elliot clinged to Isaac’s pant leg letting out whimpers. Percy, Annabeth, Tyson and Grover joined them. Pollux could even be seen nearby paying his respects. Any demigod that had some form of tie to Skylar was there. Even her trusty pegasus, Ortus. His wing was broken but he remained by his fallen comrade. A long white sheet had since been placed over the body shielding it from view.

As much as Nico wanted to believe this was just a nightmare he couldn’t. The one person he began to finally open up to would finally be laid to rest. Skylar Solace. Gone from the world at the young age of fourteen.


	41. Reality

Saying their final goodbyes the majority of the demigods gathered to return to Camp Half Blood. It was high time they left the city behind. Despite losing dear friends a celebration was in order. They saved Olympus. The only one yet to load into the van was Nico. Will and Isaac had climbed in just before. Both boys mentally and emotionally drained. Grabbing the handle Nico places his foot inside the vehicle.

A loud and very distinct whistle rang out through the air. Nico freezes in his tracks. Particles of light flurried in the wind coming from a certain blonde girl’s corpse. Ortus gets up letting out disgruntled neighs. Alarmed Nico turns back around to see the body vanish. Nothing was left behind other than a blood-soaked sheet. The pegasus sniffs the sheet letting out a sad whine. Suddenly the horse raises his head and takes off running before anyone can stop him. Even on foot he was a force to be reckoned with.

“W-what in Hades?” Nico mutters to himself. Someone in the van tells him to hurry up or they’d leave without him. Shaking his head the son of Hades gets in and closes the door. Right after the vehicle drives off taking the exhausted demigods back home. Nico’s head falls against the window and despite his protests he slips into slumber.

_He saw her as soon as his eyes closed. Blonde hair perfectly messy falling over her shoulders. Eyes as blue as the ocean. Dressed in a camp shirt, jeans and boots. Wearing that caring smile upon her pink lips. Just as he last saw her alive. If it wasn’t for her he might of never been able to convince his father to fight in the war. They were both supposed to make it out. She wasn’t meant to leave him alone again._

_“Why?” Nico croaks. “Why did it have to be you? If you just stayed inside and did your job as a healer you would still be…” Clenching his fists he turns away from the image of Skylar. “No, you would’ve gone anyway. Always feeling that it was your job to save those that still had a chance. Volunteering for the work others cast aside like garbage.”_

_“You’re an idiot Skylar Solace and I..” A hollow laugh spills from his lips. Tears he tried so desperately to repress trickled down his pale cheeks. “I hate you. I hate that you ended up like her. I hate that I love you so gods damn much and that this world took you away from me.”_

_A hand gently settles on his cheek wiping away the tears. Concerned blue eyes and a gentle smile. His hands grip onto her own falling to his knees. “It’ll all be okay Neeks.” Her voice is soft but something was off. She was fading just like before. Piece by piece. He reached for her desperately trying to keep her by his side only for her to slip right through. As the last of Skylar disappears his eyes snap open and he lets out a scream._

Will yelps in shock falling backwards through the open door of the van. He was previously trying to wake Nico when the son of Hades jolted and screamed. The dark-haired boy looks around frantically clutching at his chest. His heart was threatening to leap from its cage. Standing up and rubbing his sore behind Will gestures for him to come out. They had arrived back at camp and the blond was waiting for him to join. He vowed to watch out for Nico like his sister requested.

“You okay Neeks?” Will questions as Nico climbs from the car.

“Don’t. Don’t you dare call me that. Ever.” He glares stuffing his hands inside his jacket pocket.

“You’re not the only one who’s hurting you know.” Will grumbles walking alongside the son of Hades and up the hill. “I lost my sister and there wasn’t anything I could do to save her.” He stared down at his hands in disgust. _What good is healing when you can’t save someone when it really matters?_

“Don’t you think I get that?! I thought for once in my life maybe everything would work out that I could be happy again!” Nico shouts at Will.

“Nico I-”

“Just leave me alone!” With that the son of Hades leaves behind an already upset Will Solace. His shadow traveling took him to the edge of the forest where he collapsed against a tree. Face buried in his knees he could hear the other campers chatting. He hadn’t meant to lash out but his feelings just wouldn’t settle. Clenching his eyes shut he lets out a sigh. It was a long day.

The week after the Battle of Manhattan seems to fly by. Shortly after returning to camp a new Oracle was named. Rachel Elizabeth Dare. An aspiring artist and mortal that could see through the mist. After freeing the Oracle of Delphi she chose to take over as the camp’s new Oracle. Apollo arrived around the same time to oversee the process. Now they had a new prophecy which everyone assumed to be for the distant future.Construction at Camp Half Blood began almost immediately. Annabeth lead the job having the Athena cabin design every new building being put in at camp. Various new campers seemed to flood in during the week. Any who arrived that still didn’t have a cabin stayed either in the Hermes cabin or in The Big House.

Elliot, who was now a resident at camp, had yet to be claimed by his godly parent. However it was only a matter of time before it happened. He made a few friends around camp but spent most of his time in the Apollo cabin. When not in the cabin he has long talks with Pollux. Kayla, Will and Austin all slept in one side of the cabin now leaving the other side bare. It made them feel somewhat grounded with Michael and Skylar gone.

Speaking of Will, the son of Apollo was a wreck. The first few days without his sister were rough to say the least. Now toward the end of the week his chest felt as if something was constantly missing. He was grateful to Isaac who stuck by his side listening to him grieve and tell stories about he and Skylar when they were younger.

The brunet powered through offering the consolation the one he cared for needed. That didn’t stop him from crying himself to sleep when he returned to his own cabin on some nights. His cabin was in turmoil as they tried to find someone suitable to take Silena’s place. Lacy and Mitchell both suggested he do it but being head counselor wasn’t really his thing. Unless there was no other choice.

Despite his previous outbursts, Nico hung around the Apollo cabin. He slept there most nights and enjoyed the fact that when he walked around campers were celebrating how he helped in the war. On occasion he’d talk to Will but he wondered if it was subconsciously because he reminded him so much of Skylar. They both had that pleasant feeling around them. When the nightmares became too much one night Will was the one to stay up with him. Both boys talked into the early morning hours until crashing for most of the day. Most days a do not disturb sign is nailed into the wooden door to ward off interruptions. It would take some time of course but they could learn to move on while maintaining their most cherished memories.

Lonesome footsteps echoed down the seemingly endless hallway. Soft humming came from slightly chapped lips. An attempt to quell the silence. Up ahead the pathway finally opened up to reveal her destination. A looming palace made of pure obsidian. With a bittersweet smile she ascends the stairs. Once at the top she forces open the door with all her might. Stumbling onto the marble flooring the girl continues on following the correct directions from a previous visit. Stopping in front of the throne room she knocks loudly but politely. A muffled voice welcomes her inside. Taking a deep breath the door opens before her eyes allowing her to cross the threshold.

Sitting atop his throne of skeletal remains was the god of the dead himself. Same stark white complexion and stringy black hair. Persephone sat by his side. A bouquet of brightly colored flowers sat in her lap. The fragrant smell wafted through the room.

“Please pardon the intrusion.” The girl bows respectfully to the god and goddess.

“It is as I assumed then. The reason my son has been in such agony. To think you managed to fool even his senses. I have half a mind to keep you down here.” Hades’ voice sends a chill up her spine.

“I am truly sorry for any trouble I have caused. It would seem I took longer than originally planned.”

“As I have said before I do not take kindly to those of the living frollicking through my domain. Just this once, I shall pardon you as a favor to my son.” Hades waves his hand opening a portal to a grassy field. Laughter and the sound of children playing could be heard on the other side.

“Oh but surely we cannot send her off dressed like that. Why her clothes are in tatters!” Persephone gestures to the girl in front of them who in turn looks at her attire. Burn holes riddled her clothes along with splatters of blood. She even somehow managed to lose one boot. Her hair wasn’t any better. Matted atop her head and different in color.

“What? Oh no please do not trouble yourselves I’ll be fine!” The girl tries to decline.

Hades scoffs at the goddess but considers her words. With a snap of his fingers the girl is engulfed in swirls of darkness. She feels her body rid of the torn clothing and be replaced with lightweight flowing robes. They reached a little over her knees, the sleeves connected to two thick bangles on her wrists. All the dirt and blood that caked her body was now nonexistent. New shoes that resembled gladiator sandals adorned her feet. The darkness subsides and Persephone clicks her tongue is distaste.

“Darling you forgot her hair! Oh never mind I’ll do it.” Waving her hand the previously matted hair is styled perfectly into curls with two little braids tucked neatly on the left side. The bangs were pushed back,held together by skull clip. Its eyes made of rubies. Tucked behind the clip was a glowing red flower. “There, save for the hair color you are perfect.”

“Thank you very much. I must be off then.” Bowing once more the girl makes her way to the portal. As she’s stepping inside she turns to wave flashing the god and goddess a warm smile. Hades sighs at her antics closing the portal shut behind her.

“That girl likes to test my patience just like her father but I still prefer her to that son of Poseidon.” Hades shudders at the thought.

“Percy! We have a situation!” Annabeth yells from across the field. She was waving her arm around wildly.

“I’m off duty!” He jokes and jogs across the field with Nico in tow. When they reach Annabeth he sees a small group gathering in front of the Apollo cabin. A girl with brunette hair dressed in dark purple, almost black robes stood on the roof. The glare of the sun made it difficult to make out her face. Something gold glimmered in her hand, an instrument?

“Annabeth I know we’re expecting a lot of new campers but who is that?” Percy questions squinting against the sunlight.

“I-I don’t know.” The blonde frowns as more campers stop to watch. “But whoever it is they stole something from the Apollo kids.

Grover walks up munching on a can. “I heard she snuck into the cabin and took some instrument. That creepy skeleton cat too.”

“Skylar’s cat? No wonder they’re so worked up.” Percy comments. Nico scowls to himself. What kind of newcomer breaks into a cabin on their first day and manages to steal an undead cat that only let a select few touch him?

“Get off our roof!”

“That doesn’t belong to you!”

“I’ll shoot you down if I have to!”

The voices of Austin, Will and Kayla from the Apollo cabin shout from the front of the crowd. Kayla held a bow in her hand shaking it in the air.

“Hey punk get down here so I can pulverize you!” Even Clarisse was amongst the onlookers. A few demigods standing near the girl back away from her threat.  

Instead of listening to their demands the girl takes a seat and begins strumming the lyre in her hands. Instantly a soft tune carries on the wind. The notes subtly changing with each pluck of a string or turn of a knob.

“ _Should've stayed, were there signs, I ignored?_  
 _Can I help you, not to hurt, anymore?_  
 _We saw brilliance, when the world, was asleep_  
 _There are things that we can have, but can't keep._ ”

Nico visibly stiffens at their voice when they sing. It was familiar but he couldn’t quite place it. Silence falls over the crowd as words dig up memories of the past. The stranger continues to the next part.

“ _If they say_  
 _Who cares if one more light goes out?_  
 _In a sky of a million stars_  
 _It flickers, flickers_  
 _Who cares when someone's time runs out?_  
 _If a moment is all we are_  
 _We're quicker, quicker_  
 _Who cares if one more light goes out?_  
 _Well I do._ ”

Will tenses up his blue eyes leaving the girl to look for Isaac. Feeling his gaze the brunet in turn makes his way to him. Stopping at his side he whispers in disbelief.

“There’s no way.”

“The evidence is right in front of us.”

The boys shake their heads looking back up at the brunette. Small fragments resembling glitter swirled around her body. Nico begins pushing his way through the crowd.

“ _The reminders pull the floor from your feet_  
 _In the kitchen, one more chair than you need oh_  
 _And you're angry, and you should be, it's not fair_  
 _Just 'cause you can't see it, doesn't mean it, isn't there._ ”

He fights to squeeze between two Ares kids. Almost falling onto the ground when he succeeds. Chocolate brown eyes stay fixated on the singing girl.

“ _If they say_  
 _Who cares if one more light goes out?_  
 _In a sky of a million stars_  
 _It flickers, flickers_  
 _Who cares when someone's time runs out?_  
 _If a moment is all we are_  
 _We're quicker, quicker_  
 _Who cares if one more light goes out?_  
 _Well I do._ ”

She’s on her feet now. A melancholy smile adorning her lips. Her song was nearing the end. Murmurs passed along the crowd below. Nico was closing in on the front.

“ _Who cares if one more light goes out?_  
 _In a sky of a million stars_  
 _It flickers, flickers_  
 _Who cares when someone's time runs out?_  
 _If a moment is all we are_  
 _We're quicker, quicker_  
 _Who cares if one more light goes out?_  
 _Well I do._ ”

The light around her body glows brighter forcing the demigods to look away. As the light dies down a final set of words is sung. Nico stood front and center now. Wedged between Isaac Mackenzie and Will Solace. It was her. He knew it was.

“ _Well I do._ ” Taking a deep breath the bright-eyed girl slides down from the roof landing in front of the son of Hades. Standing upright her nose brushes against Nico’s. Their eyes meet.

“Y-You’re…” Nico was at a loss for words. His words die off in his throat as he looks up at the girl.


	42. Welcome Back

“Sorry I took so long Neeks. I’m home now.” Skylar smiles apologetically at the shorter boy. Her previously brown hair was blonde once more with a golden sheen. Ocean blue eyes glistened with unshed tears.

Arms wrapped tightly around her waist, a mop of black hair greeting her vision. Nico let out quiet sniffles into her shoulder. She still smelt the same. A blend of coffee and cinnamon spice. This was real and not a dream. His knees buckle underneath sending him to the ground. Skylar falls with him rubbing his back gently and allowing the tears to slip from her eyes.

“How is this possible? We saw you fall a-and the blood was…” He frowns pulling back to look at her. His brown eyes were murky. Water droplets falling from them at a rapid pace. The sight broke her heart. She never meant to be the cause of his pain.

“Shh, I’m here and that’s all that matters.” She whispers placing gentle kisses all over his face. Nico blushed at the public display of affection. He’d let it slide just this once. A thud and shout of alarm come from behind the embracing couple. Looking over they see the source of the noise.

“Will!”  

Will Solace now laid on the ground. His head propped on Isaac’s lap as Kayla fanned his face. Austin let out an exasperated noise. The poor boy fainted from shock. She doubted he’d wake up any time soon from the looks of it.

“Oops, didn’t think that would happen. I honestly expected yelling.” Skylar chuckles nervously standing with Nico. The dark-haired boy loosely grips her hand linking their pinky fingers together.

“Skylar this isn’t funny! Wait...Holy schist Skylar!” Isaac yells dropping Will’s head onto the dirt and running at the girl. Skylar winces as her brother’s head hits the ground. _Good thing he’s already out of it._ Isaac engulfs the blonde in a hug before moving back and shaking her shoulders wildly. “How dare you do this to us!” He scolds flicking her on the forehead just as she’s done to him numerous times.

“Ouch! Sorry, sorry save the lecture for after we pick Will up off the ground.” She grumbles moving to assist her siblings in lifting the lanky blond. The greetings are put on hold as they place Will on a bed to rest. Kayla and Austin both welcome her back with bright smiles and tear filled eyes. Placing a kiss on Will’s forehead she steps back out of the cabin. Isaac volunteered to stay with him in case he woke up. She would be sure to check on him later. The blonde is then lifted off her feet by a grinning son of Poseidon.

“Good to see you aren’t dead Sky. Tyson’s gonna think you’re a ghost when he sees you again.” Percy chuckles setting her back on her feet. She rolls her eyes at his words giving him a playful punch on the shoulder. Annabeth stood behind him giving the blonde a death glare. Grover’s jaw was slack bits of metal falling from his mouth.

“H-hey Annie, Grover.” Skylar waves nervously. Annabeth stomps over to her and she takes a step back out of pure fear. The daughter of Athena’s anger triumphed over any monster. Looking away she braces herself as Annabeth’s fist is pulled back. Instead a light jab impacts her shoulder before she’s yanked into the older girl’s arms.

“If you ever do something like this again so help me I’ll hunt you down and kill you myself.” Annabeth threatens forcing back the tears.

“Yes ma’am.” Skylar gulps as Annabeth releases her. She gives Grover a side hug and looks around the significantly smaller crowd. Most of the onlookers had dwindled down after seeing what the commotion was about. _Nice to see you guys again too._ Skylar thinks bitterly. Kayla and Austin step out of the cabin promising to catch up later. A rough hand fall on top of her head and forces her to look into the eyes of Clarisse.

“I knew you wouldn’t die that easily.” She smirks walking off in the direction of her cabin.

“Um..did that just happen?” Isaac whispers to Nico.

“Mhmm.” He nods watching the daughter of Ares.  

Skylar’s stomach lets out a loud growl causing a blush to coat her freckled cheeks. “Gods that’s embarrassing. Should’ve known eating food from vending machines would only go so far.” Skylar chuckles placing a hand over her stomach. “But first I’m going to change. This getup is a little too fancy for camp.”

Bidding a farewell to her friends Skylar enters her old room. Everything had been cleared from the room except for her belongings. Each bed except one was barren. Raspberry sheets covered the bed exactly how she left it. Even her desk shoved in the corner of the room was left untouched. Still riddled with papers as it was before the war. A sense of nostalgia washes over her as her hand traces along the wooden furniture.

Digging through the trunk in front of her bed she pulls out a yellow t-shirt, dark jeans and a long-sleeved orange flannel. Changing quickly she removes the clip and flower from her hair placing both on the desk. Throwing on some socks and lacing up her sneakers Skylar slams the door open with a sudden realization.

Nico who had been leaning against the wall jumps at the noise. She runs up to him frantically. “Nico! What happened to Elliot? Is he safe?” He places a hand on her shoulder and tells her to calm down. As her rapidly beating heart slows he gestures for her to follow as he walks out of the cabin door. Curious the blonde follows falling into step with him.

They soon end up at the Dionysus cabin and Nico knocks on the door three times. Footsteps could be heard on the other side before the door swings open. A small body launches itself at Nico almost sending the son of Hades down the steps. “Mister Nico!” The boy cheers giving him a toothy grin.

Nico rolls his eyes but Skylar sees the corners of his mouth turn up slightly. “Hey, someone came to see you.” He gestures with his thumb over his shoulder at Skylar.

Hazel eyes widen in surprise. “M-Miss Skylar?” His feet begin running over to the blonde who kneels onto the ground with arms open. “Miss Skylar!” Elliot cries diving into her arms.

“Oh goodness I’m so glad you’re safe Elliot.” Skylar whispers lifting the boy into her arms.

“I knew you would come back I just knew it!” He buries his face into her shirt.

“Elliot who was at the...door..?” Pollux emerged from the cabin. Violet eyes fixate on the sobbing child and the female holding him. “If this is another trick from the Hermes cabin I swear.”

“A prank huh? Sorry Pollux I’m the real deal.” Skylar chuckles rubbing Elliot’s back as he calms down. The older teen walks over placing a large hand on her head. He ruffled her hair gently messing up the curls.

“Holy Hera Skylar way to give us all a scare.” Pollux mumbles still processing the fact that she was alive and well. Skylar’s stomach growls again although louder this time.

“I should probably go grab something to eat.” She laughs setting Elliot back onto the ground. “I promise we’ll catch up I’m not planning on going anywhere.” Waving to the two boys she begins walking to the mess hall with Nico.

“Even with the new cabins being built not much has changed around here.” Nico’s comments with a small shrug.

“I saw the construction for the new cabins earlier. The Hades one is looking quite...sinister.” She comments glancing over at him. Her fingers toyed with the sleeves of her flannel.

“Annabeth is leading the project. She’s not letting anyone question her architectural prowess. It’ll be dark, cold and terrifying just as Hades children are viewed.” Nico grumbles burying his face in the fluff of his collar.

“Hey, I know that’s not true. Besides I’m sure she’ll listen to reason if you try talking to her.” Skylar nudges his side gently. She knew how the stereotypes were around camp. Especially regarding the campers like Nico. The ones defined by who their parent was and not by their own demeanors.

“It’s fine Skylar just leave it be.” Nico sighs as they near the steps to the dining pavilion. Skylar had planned on grabbing something simple to-go so she could walk around more with Nico. She also wanted to check in on Will to see if he’ll wake up. He’s bound to give her an earful when he does. Grabbing a sandwich and an apple the pair head back to the Apollo cabin.

Skylar is halfway through eating her apple when the thunderous pounding of hooves and paws shook the earth. Alarmed the demigods look around to see a blur of black and white as Skylar hits the dirt. She lets out a groan that soon turns into laughter. Despite the constant falling onto the earth she enjoyed every minute of the reunion. Currently Ortus had his nose nestled in her hair letting out happy neighs. Mrs. O’Leary coated her face in dog slobber messing up all of Persephone’s hard work. Nico let out a soft chuckle behind her amused at the scene. Oh yes, it was good to be home.

Will jolts awake. He sits up quickly and Isaac places the cap back onto the vial in his hand placing it in his pocket. Sky blue eyes look around frantically before falling onto Isaac. Swaying a little he places on hand on his head.

“Ugh...what happened?”

“You fainted. Not exactly the reaction I expected but it made an impact nonetheless.” Isaac informs. Will stiffens shifting his gaze to the brunet sitting beside him.

“Skylar is she really…” He trails off.

“Alive? Yeah, she’s out with Nico getting something to eat. They should be back soon.” The brunet informs offering Will a glass of water. He downs the glass in a few gulps setting it on the table beside the bed. A voice travels through the cabin as the main door could be heard opening.

“You could’ve helped me out a little sooner Neeks.” Skylar pouts grabbing a towel and cleaning her face off.

“From my view you had everything under control.” Nico smirks. “It’s a new look for you.” He teases taking in her disheveled appearance. Skylar’s blonde hair was a mess. Her yellow shirt now had dribbles of dog drool across it. Sticking her tongue out she turns to enter the room where Will was resting.

“It is true. You’re really here.” Will mutters. In one swift motion he jumps from the bed and brings her into a bone-crushing hug. “Sky oh my gods you’re okay! You won’t believe how long I wished for this.” Will buries his face deep into her blonde hair.  A fresh wave of tears poured from his eyes as she lightly pat his head. They stay like that for a few minutes allowing reality to set in.

“What kind of twin would I be if I left you alone in this world?” Skylar lightly jokes. Will grumbles at the joke releasing her from the embrace.

“You’re still pretty awful for putting us through this past week.” Isaac huffs crossing his arms.

“I’m so sorry about that. Trust me I would of been here sooner if I could.” The blonde apologizes.

“Where were you? What have you even been doing?” Nico comes to stand beside her. His hand falls onto her shoulder squeezing gently.  

“Listen I’ll explain everything just...not right now.” Her tone changed to one tinged with sadness. The boys each look at her in concern. Just what had transpired over the past week?


	43. The Forgotten Week

Word soon got around camp of Skylar’s return. Once that happened rumors began spreading on how she managed to come back from the dead. Some say it was Nico’s doing. That the boy resurrected his blonde girlfriend to be with him once more. Others speculated she abandoned the battle and went into hiding. Both were very far from the truth. In reality the rumors didn’t bother her so much. It was when they began reflecting on their views of Nico that it didn’t sit well with her. Campers, mainly the newcomers were wishy washy. They’d praise Nico for his efforts in the Battle of Manhattan one week then forget he ever existed the next. Those who did remember him were scared he’d send them to the Underworld with just one look.

Ocean eyes stared up at cabin number twenty. The structure was halfway built. Only a bit more work and the cabin would be open for any demigods whose mother was Hecate. It was a sight to behold completely made of of large stones. Each stone had magical writing engraved into it. The roof was slanted but apparently had high ceilings. Inside the four modules were meant to shift as the inhabitants saw fit. According to Annabeth if one of the stones outside fall or are dropped everyone within a half mile will turn into a tree. Skylar wasn’t sure if it was true but it made those working on the building to be extra careful. Just looking at the cabin brought back memories of Avery. She averts her gaze and moves on.

Tonight’s bonfire had the biggest turnout she’s ever seen. Many faces both familiar and new gathered around the everchanging fire. Some were seated on logs others in lawn chairs or on the grass. A few demigods seemed to be missing from the bunch but that could be because a few campers packed up and went home for personal reasons. Someone calls out her name and her gaze shifts to look over at the person. Elliot. He stood atop a log waving his arm around so she could see him. Giggling quietly she makes her way over lifting the boy into her arms and on her lap as she sits.

“Well hello there Elliot how are you tonight?” Skylar asks giving the nine year-old a dazzling smile.

“I’m great miss Skylar. Mr. Chiron says my godly parent may claim me tonight.” Elliot beams. His hazel eyes glowed in the firelight.

“Any idea on who it could be squirt?” Isaac asks stepping over the log and sitting down beside Skylar.

“Hm...I dunno cause mommy never spoke about them. I bet they’re really cool though.” The boy tells the teens before hopping off of Skylar’s lap and running over to Pollux who had just arrived. He began talking adamantly to the older teen who crouched down to listen to him. Skylar watches the interaction with a fond look. _He’s still such a darling kid no matter what life throws at him._

“There you two are, I’ve been looking for you.” Will exclaims taking a seat on the other side of Isaac. His guitar rested in his lap. The brunet wraps an arm around his waist and plants a kiss to his cheek in greeting. “Why’s my sister staring at Elliot like he’s her kid?” He questions raising an eyebrow.

“Oh come on Will he’s basically everyone’s at this point. Even Mr. Gloom and Doom.” Isaac shrugs earning a sharp jab by Skylar’s elbow. “Ow! Okay sorry I mean Nico! Jeez.”

“Be nice to my boyfriend.” She scolds. It felt nice to say that after so long. “As for Elliot I can’t help it after what happened with his mom and him not even knowing our part of the world existed I’ve been worried. Yet it seems he’s been taking it startlingly well.” Her hand gestures to where Elliot now moved on to talking to Rory of the Hephaestus cabin. He was turning out to be quite the social butterfly.

“Yeah, ever since he started taking those pills he’s bee- ow!” Isaac yelps as Will stomps on his foot. He gives him a look to be quiet but the damage had already been done.

“Pills? What kind of pills?” Skylar raises an eyebrow at the boys. They look at each other for a moment until Will gives in.

“For the treatment of schizophrenia. At first we just thought he was having nightmares but when his actions became...questionable Chiron helped me do an examination so we could start treatment. It seems to be working which is a good sign.” Will explains to his sister.

“It all adds up now. Those pills I found in his mother’s purse, the name was scratched out so I wasn’t certain but they ended up belonging to him.” Skylar comments.

“Nico’s the one that actually pointed it out to us that Elliot was hearing voices after confirming they were different from the ones he hears.” Isaac points out massaging his sore foot.

“Speaking of Nico, where is he?” Will asks while tuning his guitar. His slim fingers strummed each chord individually then turning the knob to adjust the sound accordingly.

"Hiding? Large social gatherings aren’t really his thing and I didn’t want to force him.” Skylar shrugs nonchalantly. Truthfully she wished the son of Hades was there for moral support. She could definitely use it tonight. Unknown to her Nico was at the bonfire but hidden in the shadows. Chiron rolled his wheelchair near the fire gesturing for the demigods to quiet down. When they don’t both Kayla and Skylar let out a shrill whistle. Nodding in thanks the centaur begins to speak.

“Now before we get into the celebrating and roasting of various foods I must ask for your attention. As you all are aware one of our own who we previously thought to be lost has returned. She has agreed to speak to us and fill the gaps of the timeline. Skylar if you would.” Chiron gestures for her to rise. _You sort of volunteered me to do this sir._ The blonde mentally grumbles getting to her feet and standing on the log.

“Oh come on we already know what happened!” Someone shouts.

“Yeah! That di Angelo weirdo did some voodoo or something and brought her back!” Another calls out. Skylar clenched her fists at her side as the comments continue.

“I bet she ran from the battle and came out of hiding once it was all over begging for the camp to take her back!” A kid laughs. Isaac growls beginning to stand only to be pulled down by Will.

“Why should we care that her attempt at death ended in failure?” Something in Skylar snaps.

“THAT IS ENOUGH!” She shouts slamming her foot down on the log. A startling flash of light brightens up the area with her movements. Jumping down from the log the blonde storms up to the boy who made the last comment. He sits up tall until Skylar gives him a murderous stare that is shocking to see on the blonde. The boy shrinks under her gaze and she turns away to address the crowd.

“I am sick and tired of all the rumors and the lies circling around this camp! Specifically involving a certain son of Hades that did nothing but save your sorry asses when you needed it the most. Oh but you conveniently forgot about that right? Casted him aside like a used handkerchief. Well I got news for you darlings. That boy is a better human being than half of you will ever dream to be. Don’t go judging someone when you never even took the time to get to know them.” Skylar is greeted with silence. The flame in the center grew smaller and a deep shade of blue. Will gives her a proud smile as Isaac gives her a thumbs up.

“That’s my girl.” Nico smiles to himself hiding his red cheeks in his jacket.

Skylar takes a deep breath and continues. “Frankly I don’t give a damn if any of you know the truth but I’m here because Chiron has asked me to be. So sit down and get comfortable cause you’ve all been cordially invited to a week in Skylar Solace’s life.”

“Not many of you know what it’s like to live knowing it’s your destiny to die. Leaving you to think of every possible scenario and what you can do to try and prevent the inevitable. Even countless warnings blatantly stating to be careful don’t help. When the fates tell you to jump, then you jump. However they never specify how or when. It’s up to you to alter it with any methods at your disposal.”  

Cracking her knuckles Skylar begins drawing shapes in the air made of yellow light. First was a building with two figures standing on top. They were grabbing at each other as she wiggled her fingers to make them move. Each of them held daggers in their hands.

“During the Battle of Manhattan I had to fight a girl who I believed was my friend but turned out to be an assassin. Turns out she was the one sent to kill me this whole time or her controller would kill her father instead. Kind of cliche right? A life for a life. Anyway, I didn’t want to hurt this girl so I came up with a plan. A plan that would lead me to find a group of ruthless demigods that will kill anyone and everyone for a sick form of entertainment.”

The scene changes to showcase an explosion and one of the bodies falling to the ground while the other watched from atop the building. However another figure could be seen fleeing the scene. It then leads into a group of people standing around and laughing at a body collapsed on the ground. They made motions with their hands as if they were being choked.

“One of the perks I learned when using my powers is that I can cause hallucinations, illusions, even make realistic dopplegangers. Which is what Will and Nico ended up finding. Sounds cool right? Being able to make a form of clone. I’ll be honest it sucks cause when that body smashed into the pavement I felt every snap of the bone, the white hot searing pain coursing through my own veins. At that moment I almost wished for death.” Skylar frowns drawing out a new scene resembling an alley in downtown Manhattan. It showed a girl looking around cautiously before entering a door.

“Finding the hideout of these killers was fairly simple seeing as they left a trail of destruction behind. That being said it still took me two days to find. So I entered quietly while each of them were asleep. I remember seeing their faces and thinking how could kids, some even younger than myself be capable of murder? Then I remembered all the awful things they did and I..” Skylar bites down on her lip as the scene replays in her mind. The scene floating in front of her diminishes with a wave of her hand. Sitting back down she rubs her hands up and down her arms.

“D-did you kill them?” A voice nervously asks and she notices it to be a newcomer named Neil. One of the new members of the Demeter cabin. Come to think of it most of the campers had grabbed onto someone out of fear or had scared expressions on their faces. _Probably should of left some details out. Oops._

“No way! Miss Skylar wouldn’t do that! Right?” Elliot pipes up from his spot next to Rory.

“One of them woke up while I was freeing a man I believed to be the girl’s father. He alerted his friends and they managed to corner me. As they tried to grab me I panicked and threw an orb of light but this one was different. Their screams were...agonizing and they grabbed at their eyes like they were on fire. I didn’t learn until after I was fleeing with the man that I seared their optic nerves causing permanent blindness. Fresh out of power I had limited options so I ran with the man to central park where he reunited with his beloved daughter. After burning old bridges and convincing the girl I was alive I ended up at the Door of Orpheus and opened a gateway to the Underworld.”

Bringing up her hands Skylar notices them shaking but illustrates nonetheless. She drew out the image of the Underworld that would be forever burned into her mind. Putting detail into each pillar, pathway and landmark. A hand rests on her shoulder and she looks over to see the face of her beloved boyfriend. _Impeccable timing as always Ghost King._

“You don’t have to continue if you don’t want to.” Nico whispers sitting down beside her. By now the flame in the center of the pit had turned a deep shade of purple and flickered with everyone’s quivering emotions. Will and Isaac looked at her with concern. Chiron looked at the blonde with sympathy wondering if he should put a stop to this.

“I’m okay Neeks.” Skylar whispers placing a kiss to his cheek. Still unsure the son of Hades places his arm gently around her waist. His cold touch actually helped push her to continue.

“Believe it or not journeying through the Underworld was the highlight after all the schist I went through. It took almost a day of walking just to grasp some form of familiarity as to where I was going. By the time I reached the main gate my hair had turned dark brown and I couldn’t conjure any light. Avoiding malevolent spirits that ventured off course wasn’t fun either. Fair warning, don’t accidentally hit a ghost with a Stygian Iron blade. I managed to hunker down for almost three days before Hades summoned me to his palace. Personally I think he knew I was there the whole time and got tired of me wandering around. On the upside I got to play fetch with Cerberus which was cool. Once you get past the whole giant three-headed razor sharp teeth aspect anyway.” She shrugs as if it was a regular occurance.

“Sky, you’re lucky my dad didn’t kill you on the spot.” Nico groans running a hand down his face. Skylar gives him a tiny smile and starts to wrap up the story.

“Apparently what I did was justified in the eyes of the god of the dead. He claimed I’d be pardoned just this once as a favor for his son. Not many people can last that long in the Underworld and still be alive. Or even still be sane for that matter. I like to think it was my photokinesis that kept me from becoming one with the land. Score one for my father I guess. It was thanks to him and Persephone who cleaned me up and transported me safely back into camp. Where I decided to take a page from Apollo and make a dramatic entrance. Thus concluding a week in the life of Skylar Solace.” Skylar finishes swatting away the floating images in front of her eyes.

Stunned silence falls across the bonfire. Campers gaped at the blonde who shrunk back unsurely in her seat. Even Isaac, who had been sitting next to her for most of it was in shock. _Oh gods what did I do?_ Getting to her feet Skylar sputters out apologies and runs off into the night. Nico darts off after her as Will calls out to her.

“Sky wait!”

Chiron clears his throat and takes ahold of the situation. “A-Alright then. Shall we move on to roasting marshmallows?” A sudden glow from the crowd of campers draws his attention over to a certain little boy. Floating above Elliot’s head was a golden wine-cup surrounded in a soft white light.

“W-why is everyone suddenly staring at me?” Elliot questions looking up to see what they were seeing.

“It seems something good did come out of all of this. Allow me to officially welcome Elliot, son of Hebe and our first camper to be housed in cabin eighteen.” A slow round of applause sounds in congratulations.

“W-who’s Hebe?” Elliot’s brows furrow as he tries to think. Skylar never mentioned any of the gods other than the major twelve so he was at a loss.

“Hebe is the goddess of youth.” Pollux informs coming to the boy’s aid.

“A goddess? So I had two moms at one point?”

“Seems that way, it’s not so surprising when you think about it. The gods aren’t very picky when it comes to gender. Kayla’s dad is an example of that. She has two fathers. Apollo and a mortal one back home.” The son of dionysus gestures to the ginger girl who was talking animatedly with her hands not too far away.

“Ooh I see. Well that’s fine with me. Now I can borrow books and learn all about my mom.” Elliot beams and Pollux ruffles his hair with a chuckle. The remainder of the time spent around the bonfire is wasted away with eating smores, singing songs about flying chariots and demigods randomly being chosen by their godly parents.


	44. Moonlit Nights

Skylar sat on fireworks beach with her shoes off. The water lapped at her bare feet leaving behind a chilling feeling. Her fingers toyed with the moon-shaped charm around her neck. One of her most treasured possessions given to her by the son of Hades. Nico walked up behind her his sneakers crunching the sand. He takes a seat beside the blonde looking out at the dark water. Trying to steady her fingers she draws small shapes into the air. Tears threatened to spill from her bright blue eyes. With the memories from the past week still fresh on her mind it was a lot to process.

“I knew it was a bad idea. I should’ve just kept it all to myself. Now they’ll either be scared of me or look at me in sympathy.” She mumbles bending the light to make a cat and mouse. Wiggling her fingers she animates it so the cat pounces on the mouse.

“Never pegged you as someone who gives up on optimism.” Nico comments his eyes flickering to her for a moment before settling back on the water.

“Yeah? Well I never imagined a scenario where I ended up scaring an entire camp.” Skylar counters waving her hand around turning the tom cat into a roaring lion. A small crackle comes from the tip of her finger but she ignores it.

“Since when do you care what others think?” When he’s greeted with silence he continues. “Wake up Skylar. Not everyone in the world is going to like you so suck it up and get over yourself.” Nico grumbles skipping a rock across the water.

Quiet sniffles come from his left and he turns to see tears falling from the blonde’s eyes. She waved her hand around quickly diminishing the floating light. The sight made him feel awful but he couldn’t take back what he said. Skylar needed to see things his way for once. That not everyone is accepted but sitting around and moping about it wouldn”t solve anything.

“Look Sky I’m-”

“No it’s fine, you are right after all. Gods I don’t know why I’m even crying.” Skylar laughs humorlessly and wipes her eyes with her sleeves. Nico sighs quietly scooting closer to the girl. His cold hands reach up and cup her flushed cheeks.

“I’m not good at this so just be quiet and listen okay? You are the strongest and most kind-hearted person that I’ve come to know. It’s alright to just let go sometimes and hold a middle finger to the world because this is your life and no one is going to tell you how to live it. If those kids judge you after everything you’ve done for them then they aren’t worth your time.” Nico gives her one of his rare smiles that makes her heart flutter.

Overcome with emotion Skylar leans forward connecting their lips in a loving kiss. Both of them fall into the sand but pay it no mind. Instantly a blush blossoms on the son of Hades’s face matching her own. Her fingers reach up and entangle into his dark locks. After a minute or so the two pull away, faces flushed and soft smiles prominent. Skylar gently rests her forehead against Nico’s. As they lay face to face she decides to break the silence.

“How is it you always know what to say to open my eyes?” She questions lightly stroking his cheek with her thumb.

“I’ve picked up a thing or two from listening to you. You’re a hard person to ignore Skylar Solace.” Nico tells her, his voice soft. His chocolate brown eyes glimmer as Skylar draws a heart between them with the glow from her finger. When she connects the line a sudden spark jumps out shocking her finger.

“Ouch!” Skylar yelps placing her index finger between her lips to soothe the pain.

“Are you alright?” Nico’s eyes flashed with concern as the image fades.

“Y-yeah, it just surprised me is all.  My powers have sort of been on the fritz.” She shrugs. His eyes narrow at her only to widen as her body moves closer. Blonde hair tickles his nose as Skylar’s head rests against his chest. “I probably should stop using them for a while just to be safe.”

“If that’s what you feel is best. I’ve been thinking about some things.” He begins. His fingers gently rake through her long golden locks.

“That’s scary.” Skylar jokes her words muffled by his t-shirt.

“Hush, I’m serious. Now that things have settled down Chiron is allowing demigods to go on quests again. Nothing is set in stone but I might accept one. Would you maybe...want to come with me?” Nico asks timidly as he plays with the strand of brunette hair that never went back to its normal color.

“I’m a camp counselor so I have certain responsibilities now.Will’s gonna need me to help him out. Especially given that we’re increasing in numbers slowly but surely. Not including getting back into teaching archery and manning the infirmary. Going on a quest is the last thing on my mind.” Nico frowns at the blonde’s words. He should of known she wouldn’t drop everything out of the blue.

“You could of just said no.” He grumbles as she shifts in his arms.

“Neeks that’s not what I meant. I’d be glad to accompany you on a quest. It’s just not in the cards right now sweetheart.” Skylar smiles squeezing his fingers gently. Truthfully she wasn’t sure if going on a quest would be good for her. Surely Nico would understand. She’d just have to settle for now and go on a quest another time.

Nico drops the subject and reminds her that curfew would be soon reluctantly getting to his feet. Nodding she stands and gathers her discarded shoes. If given the choice they could of remained there all night. Then again being eaten by harpies didn’t sound too appealing. Hand in hand the couple makes way for the cabins. They crash as soon as their heads hit the pillow for a good night’s rest. Finally gaining some well deserved peace in their ever hectic lifestyle.

That following morning Skylar awoke to loud knocking on her bedroom door. It was rare for her to wake up after someone else in their cabin. Nico, who was curled up in a bed beside her, groaned shoving his head under a pillow. Removing the covers she walks to the door opening it with a yawn.

“Good morning Will.” Skylar greets rubbing at her eyes.

“Morning sis, how’d you sleep after last night?” Will’s eyes flashes with concern as he handed her a mug of steaming coffee. Thanking him she waves him inside shutting the door behind him. The blond notices a moving lump of blankets on one of the beds and raises an eyebrow questionably at his sister.

“I haven’t slept that good in weeks. It was refreshing. Before you ask, yes that is Nico. No, we did not sleep in the same bed nor did we do anything scandalous my dear brother.” Skylar snickers taking a long drink from her mug. She could feel the caffeine doing it’s magic already.

“We left a spot for you on the other end of the cabin how come you didn’t sleep there?” Will questions sitting on one of the spare beds.

“Don’t worry I’ll make the transition soon. It makes sense after all seeing as there aren’t very many of us.” The thought made a sharp pain stab her chest. Even now thinking of their fallen brothers, Michael and Lee, left them with heavy hearts. A day or so after returning to camp Skylar flipped through her photo albums and found a picture of Michael to hang on the wall. Will had the final say in which one she used and hung it directly next to Lee’s beside the door.

“I guess technically you aren’t alone in the cabin so you didn’t break a rule but still. As your brother I do not approve of you sleeping alone together.” Will huffs placing his hands on his hips. Skylar rolls her eyes. It wasn’t as if Nico was the kind of guy to try anything. He was born in the 30’s for gods sake and was more of a gentleman than most kids his age.

“Just because you and Isaac can bend the rules doesn’t mean you’re entitled to force them on us. Besides, you know Nico it’s not like he’s a stranger.” She shrugs finishing her coffee and picking out her clothes for the day. “Oh, since you’re here you mind waking up Ghost King while I get ready?”

“Um, sure I’ll see you in a bit.” Will agrees going over to Nico’s bedside. He’s seen her wake the son of Hades before so it shouldn’t be so hard. Skylar fights the grin on her face and books it to the bathroom. As she’s turning the water on for the shower a yell resounds through the cabin. Fast paced footsteps flee the cabin and when she peeks out the door Skylar sees Will being chased by a skeleton warrior. _Gotcha bro, waking Nico is never a simple task._ Giggling to herself she shuts the door and gets ready for the day. There was no doubt she’d receive an earful from Will later.

Shortly after lunch Skylar sought out Lou Ellen to ask for a favor. The daughter of Hecate was said to be a great magician. Which was perfect given for what the blonde had envisioned. She told the dark-haired girl of her idea and whether or not is was possible to accomplish. Much to her delight Lou Ellen agreed. Together they walked to the Hecate cabin that was apparently farther along than Skylar originally realized. The inside was ready to be lived in even while the exterior was still being finished. Lou Ellen opens the front door and leads her inside to one of the four main modules. With a snap of her fingers the room changes into a potion shop like ones Skylar read about in books. It was complete with a large black cauldron in the middle of the floor.

“You know this could be hazardous to your health if done incorrectly. It’s a good thing you came to me for it. I gotta say I’m kind of surprised you asked me for help seeing as most of the campers dislike us. Our mom siding with Kronos and everything during the war.” Lou Ellen tells her as she flips through the pages of a book.

“Well that’s on them. What our parents do doesn’t define who we are. Too many people just go with the flow instead of seeing the bigger picture.” Skylar scowls turning to a shelf and inspecting the books. Lou Ellen begins dropping ingredients into the cauldron having found the correct page in her book.

“I gotta say, you’re a bit of an odd duck huh? Faking your death to help a girl that betrayed you. Most would’ve just killed her on the spot. It was some story you told made it seem like Cerberus was a buddy of yours. Couple that with the fact that you always walk around with an undead cat and people are bound to talk.” Lou Ellen chuckles pouring a bright green liquid into the pot.

“After two visits we kind of are. The poor pup doesn’t have anyone to play with him. I’ve learned not to care when people talk about me. It’s when they talk bad about my friends that they need to watch out.” Skylar shrugs like it’s no big deal.

“Like I said, odd. In the best way though I promise.” The dark haired girl reassures with a smile. “Alright a few good stirs and the potion should be ready. You got the hair and accessories?”

“Yup. So how do we do this exactly?” The blonde inquires walking over to join the daughter of Hecate at the cauldron as she stirred the frothing liquid with a large spoon.

“Basically we tie each person’s hair around an object and dip them in the potion at the exact same time then I chant the incantation in ancient Latin.” Lou Ellen summarizes and finishes stirring the pot. “The one with your hair has to be done by me or it won’t work.” She holds out her hand and Skylar drops a beaded bracelet with a sun attached in the girl’s palm along with a lock of her golden hair.

“Alright then I’m ready when you are.” Skylar informs as she wraps the dark strand of hair he moon necklace. Lou Ellen counts down from three and the girls dip the jewelry into the swirling purple liquid. Words in Latin flow through the room and the potion begins to bubble around their submerged hands. As quick as it started the bubbling ceases and they remove their hands. The necklace glows in a faint red light before subsiding.

“Mission accomplished. The link has now been established. When either of you are in danger the charms should heat up corresponding as to who needs help. For instance if it’s you then the bracelet will heat up and vise versa. If the burning stops that means they’re out of the woods. In the case their life comes to an end the charm will shatter.” Lou Ellen gives Skylar the rundown as she hands back the bracelet. It was a good thing too or she’d be lost on what the signs meant. Lou Ellen was officially the most gifted magician Skylar had ever seen. She managed to take the blonde’s far fetched idea and make it a reality.

“Thanks, you don’t know how much this will help. That boy is always wandering off somewhere. I’ll take your spot for cleaning the pegasus stables in exchange for this.” As much as she detested cleaning them she owed Lou Ellen and had to clean up after Ortus anyway.

“That should suffice as payment. Don’t be a stranger okay Solace?”

“You too, come hang out at the Apollo cabin sometime.” Skylar waves and sees herself out of the cabin. She hooks her necklace back around her neck. The bracelet is tucked safely inside her jacket pocket until she could see Nico again. For now she had a stable to clean.

Many hours later Skylar had managed to shovel, hose down and disinfect every inch of the pegasus stalls. Sweat collected on her brow and soaked through the green tank-top she wore. She had misjudged just how long it would take one person to clean. Checking the clock on the far wall she sees she’s even worked through dinner.

“Looks like my eating habits aren’t getting any better.” She sighs filling Ortus’s water trough and feed bag. The pegasus lets out a pleased neigh and eats along with his fellow pegasi. Placing down a fresh bed of hay the blonde collapses on one of the nearby hay bales. Closing her blue eyes she wills the aching in her body to go away.

Time ticked on as the daughter of Apollo continued to lie there. Sure she could of gotten up and went for some food and a shower. Instead she chose to stay put finding comfort in the sounds around her. Just as Skylar began to drift off someone entered the stables through the back door closest to Ortus’s pen. The familiar scent of honeysuckle, pomegranate and a hint of smoke filled her nose as the person drew closer. It was an questionable combination that she grew to love over time. Something akin to a paper bag is dropped on her stomach. Cracking one eye open she confirms it to be a fast food bag.

“You’re such a dear Nico.” Skylar smiles and slowly sits up. Her back and shoulders screamed in protest but she rested in a seated position to eat her food. The son of Hades sat beside her watching as the horses all shied away from him.

“Some things will never change.” He mumbles. No matter what he did the pegasi wouldn’t relax around him. Ortus had gotten better at allowing Nico close but was still wary at times.

“They’ll have to get used to it eventually.” His girlfriend shrugs and offers him some fries. He accepts taking a few and popping them into his mouth.

“How long have you been in here? The place is spotless.” Nico comments glancing over at her.

“Let’s see...I started a little after twelve so around eight hours I think. It was sort of compensation for Lou Ellen helping me out.” Skylar explains and takes a bite from her burger.

“Is that the Hecate cabin counselor? Your brother mention her once. What were you two doing?”

Skylar swallows her food and replies. “Reach into my jacket pocket over there and I’ll explain further.” She gestures to her jacket folded up on one of the higher bales of hay. Nico obliges reaching up and going through each of the pockets. His fingers brush against something and he pulls it out to inspect it.

The bracelet itself was simple. Made up of alternating white and obsidian beads. In the center of the bracelet was a bronze sun-shaped charm the size of a quarter. Nico turned the piece of jewelry around in his hands his eyes landing on the engraving on the back. It was the same handwriting he’d seen on Skylar’s worksheets at school.

“ _La mia luna._ ” The words roll perfectly off his tongue with hints of his accent shining through. “It means my moon.”

“Mhmm, you are my moon as I am your sun. Kind of corny but I thought we could match.” Skylar blushes hiding her face in her bag of french fries.

A small smile grows on Nico’s face accompanied by a blush. He slides it onto his left wrist. “It’s perfect Skylar.”

Sighing in relief she continues to inform him of the properties Lou Ellen had told her. Everything from the burning when in danger to the breaking if either of them were to perish. At first he didn’t like the idea. It could prove to be dangerous to their health if something went wrong. However Nico began to see it from Skylar’s point of view. It was mainly to put her mind at ease while he’s away from camp. The same going for him so they didn’t relive another false death. They spent the rest of their time talking quietly among the sleeping pegasi until curfew. Well until Skylar fell asleep and Nico was forced to shadow travel her to bed.


	45. Ti Amo

Two days later at breakfast an unexpected turn of events unfolds. Most campers sleepily ate their food. Either in pajamas or dressed for the day ahead talking amongst their fellow tablemates. Even Nico, who tried to sleep in late, was dragged out of bed and seated at his own table. A bowl of untouched cereal sat in front of him as he dozed off, his head propped against his open palm. Skylar on the other hand wanted nothing more than to hang Isaac Mackenzie by his shirt.

Her morning routine went off without a hitch. She woke up, got ready for another day, and basked in the morning sunlight on the roof alongside Will. That all changed when she arrived at the mess hall. Isaac thought it would be hilarious to screw with her beverage that morning when she wasn’t looking. If one thing is known around camp it's that you don’t mess with Skylar’s coffee. All kindness is thrown out the window and she’ll get revenge one way or another. Normally she wouldn’t have minded much and just drank it. If it didn’t taste like spoiled milk and she didn’t spew it all over Will who was an innocent bystander.

Now fuming, Skylar chased Isaac out of the dining pavilion. They narrowly avoid Pollux who was walking up the stairs. Will follows after to prevent his sister from maiming his boyfriend. _These two will be the death of me._ He sighs following them in the direction of the cabins.

“It was just a harmless prank!” Isaac calls out to Skylar searching frantically for a place to hide. His green eyes lock onto the one person that could hopefully calm her down. _Here goes nothing._ With his last burst of energy he runs toward Annabeth. “Annabeth she’s going to kill me!”

Hearing her name the daughter of Athena turns to see Isaac barreling toward her. Sidestepping she watches as Isaac trips. He’s airborne for a split second before face planting into the grass. It was a comical sight to behold and she couldn’t help but release a chuckle.

“Let me guess, you tampered with her coffee?” Annabeth questions as Skylar draws closer.

“How did you know?” Isaac groans rubbing his face.

“Percy did the same thing once. He hid at the bottom of the lake for two hours until she calmed down.” She shrugs looking down at the clipboard in her hand.

“Isaac Mackenzie you get over here right now and stop bothering Annabeth.” Skylar growls storming up to them.

“Sorry Isaac I don’t have time to talk her down. You’ve gotta get out of this on your own.” with a swish of her ponytail Annabeth continues on her way to the Big House.

Skylar high fives Annabeth as she passes the blonde then closes in on Isaac. Placing her hands on her hips she stands in front of the brunet. They were beginning to glow from her anger. Small sparks emitted from her fingertips. A scowl was apparent on her lips. Will walks up behind them placing a hand on her shoulder. His shirt was now stained with coffee.

“Alright sis, stop scaring the boy.” He scolds hitting her lightly upside the head.

“You’re no fun Will.” Skylar pouts offering a hand to Isaac after diminishing the light. Wary of her sudden change of mood he reluctantly accepts her help.

“Well, other than Will’s shirt there’s really no harm done.” Skylar shrugs walking off as if nothing had happened.

“Wait. That’s it?!” Isaac shouts in disbelief. “Just a minute ago you wanted to skin me!”

“Oh I never said you were free to go. Meet me in the arena I need a new partner.” Will sighs at his sister’s antics ruffling Isaac's hair. The blonde girl practically skips off humming a tune.

“Better brace yourself darlin’ she’s been training with Nico.” Smiling, Will presses a kiss to his cheek and wanders in the direction of the infirmary. Isaac groans trudging in the direction of the arena. Might as well get the suffering over with.

Two hours later on the dot Skylar had finally let Isaac off the hook. Sheathing her daggers the blonde leaves the arena and lays on the grass. Her head rested upon the flannel she previously wore over her tank top. Ocean blue eyes gazed up at the slow moving clouds over head. Reaper slinks over to her and curls up atop her stomach. His odd purring blended in with the sounds around them.

Isaac plopped onto the grass beside her drinking from a water bottle. The pair cloud watched for a while. Each enjoying the nice breeze flowing through camp. Despite earlier’s mishap they talked as if it was just another ordinary day.

“Just out of curiosity, what drew you to Nico? I mean you two are like night and day.” Isaac questions looking over at the blonde.

“Are your Aphrodite roots showing?” Skylar teases reaching up to pinch his cheek.

“Maybe a little.” He admits. “Come on spill!”

“Hm, well Neeks is just mysterious. He’s dark, gloomy, a tad moody and can raise literal Hell. On the other hand he’s surprisingly compassionate, shy, caring and has just the right amount of sass. Deep down he continues to harbor this sense of longing and loneliness that refuses to go away.” Skylar smiles to herself, now deep in thought.

“It may seem foolish of me but I want to take that away from him and fill his life with happiness. Nico deserves to be for once in his life. I don’t want to be a replacement for his sister nor could I ever be. Just a person he can rely on when the going gets tough. The same way he does for me.” She finalizes her fingers brushing against the necklace around her neck.

“That was so cheesy but so moving at the same time.” Isaac chuckles. He adjusts his glasses on the bridge of his nose and continues. “The guy’s just hard to get along with sometimes. Not gonna lie he is intimidating but once you try to get to know him he isn’t so bad. Totally not my type but hey more power to ya.”

“Right cause your type involves blondes with sparkling blue eyes that go by the name Will.” Skylar smirks nudging Isaac with her foot.

“I gotta say it’s a relief how relaxed you are with me dating your twin brother. Sort of thought you’d find it awkward.” Isaac says.

“Pfft, I’ve been rooting for you two since day one bud. Besides you two are good for each other. Young and awkward.” This earns Skylar a playful jab to the side.

“Oh! I have an idea! We should do a double date. We can go into the city or even do something around here.” The brunet excitedly sits up.

“It would be nice seeing as Nico and I haven’t gone on a single date. Not too sure how he’d feel about a double date though. Might scare him off.” Skylar shrugs propping herself onto her elbows.

“Then we don’t call it a date. Just a get together among friends. Come on Sky say yes.” Isaac pleads clasping his hands together.

Letting out a laugh Skylar agrees. Isaac cheers jumping to his feet and running off to tell Will the news. She calls after him to ask Chiron for permission to leave camp receiving a wave in response. Now all she needed to do was find Nico. Should be simple enough as long as he didn’t disappear again. _Just a few more minutes of relaxation wouldn’t hurt._

Raising a hand to her face she allows it to glow examining it curiously. Ever since her last trip to the Underworld her powers have been unpredictable. It was a miracle she even managed to tell her story at the bonfire without it on the fritz. If she uses it for too long her fingers start to spark and lash out at her. Shutting her eyes she lets her arm go slack resting against her forehead.

Various thoughts raced through her mind. Would she ever get a hang of her powers again? What would happen if they accidentally hurt someone? She wasn’t sure if she could live with the guilt of harming a fellow camper. _I could ask Will, he’s just about the only other one with the knowledge._ Shaking away her thoughts Skylar allows herself to enter a state of calm. Not long after she’s out like a light.

It would seem she was more tired than she originally thought. Skylar’s blue eyes hadn't opened again until the sun set. There was now a blanket covering most of her body. A presence was felt beside her and she turns to see Elliot. A camping lantern sat in front of his crossed legs bathing the area in a soft glow. His hazel eyes fixated on the stars appearing above. Rubbing her eyes she lets out a yawn and sits up.

“Hello Elliot, what are you doing out here?” Skylar asks while slipping her flannel on over her tank top. The temperature had dropped since the sun went down. Her question draws his attention away from the sky.

“You didn’t come to dinner tonight so I brought you some. I tried to wake you up sooner but didn’t have much luck, sorry.” Elliot smiles producing a plate filled with various cheese and bread from a picnic basket. A water bottle accompanied it. “It isn’t much but I wanted you to at least have something.”

The blonde smiles softly and reaches out to ruffle his hair. Elliot was just too sweet. “Thank you so much this is perfect.” She digs into the food as the son of Hebe looks back at the stars.

“While you were away mister Will told me a story about a girl you knew. He said you two didn’t see eye to eye. That you were offered to join her group of traveling hunters but refused because it would mean leaving him. But then the girl went away on a quest and never came back. What was her name?” Elliot questions tilting his head at Skylar.

After taking a drink of water Skylar sits the boy on her lap and points to a collection of stars in the western part of the sky. “If you look closely you can see a constellation in the form of a girl with a bow. That girl’s name was Zoë Nightshade. A fearless warrior that had walked the earth for many years. My aunt Artemis once said that she returned where she belonged. To be one with the stars above watching over all those that inhabit earth.”

“Miss Skylar, I’m glad you didn’t join the Hunters cause if you did we might’ve never met. Then mister Nico would be upset cause even if he may not show it he does care about you a lot.”

“It’s a good thing I’m smitten with him then.” She winks. “The Hunters of Artemis aren’t all bad, they just have a different outlook on a few things. A girl that used to attend camp here actually joined them to save the world. Another one of them was Nico’s older sister Bianca, she died in an accident saving my friend Percy.” It made Skylar wonder if Bianca would be proud of Nico if she could see him now. She saw glimpses of the world through her eyes from the journal she kept. The love and adoration she had for her brother. Even the longing she felt to be more than just a caretaker. A seeker of adventure that left their world far too soon.

“Death comes for all of us at some point just like it did for my mommy. Mister Nico said it wasn’t fair but that’s how the world worked. I like to think that people like Zoë, Bianca and my mommy are happier where they are now.” Elliot beams up at Skylar.

The blonde looked down at him in disbelief for a moment. This kid was always surprising her and growing up with each passing day. She shared his belief. That those they lost such as Lee, Michael, Poppy, Silena and Beckendorf were watching over them now.

“Elliot, you are a very smart young man. As you get older don’t let anyone try to steer you from what you believe in okay?” A fond smile adorns her lips.

“Mhmm, only as long as you promise to always be yourself miss Skylar. Even if the world seems against you there’s always a way to push through.” Elliot raises his pinky finger. Skylar links hers with his and seals the deal.

“Look at you getting all philosophical with me. Have you been hanging around Annabeth?” She snickers.

“Sometimes, she lets me borrow some of her books.” Elliot places his hands on Skylar’s cheeks and pushes them together. He laughs at the face she makes as a result.

“You look so silly!” He lets her go and mimics the face by pushing his cheeks together and making duck lips. She could help but giggle along with him. Elliot was just one of those kids you couldn’t help but feel happy around. His presence alone simply made the world seem brighter.  

Skylar wiggles her fingers at the boy and brings them down to his stomach tickling him mercilessly. A loud squeak followed by laughter brought a smile to her face. “I got you now!”

“N-no ahaha miss S-Skylar!” Elliot squeals wriggling around in her grip. His body falls softly onto the grass. She decides to give him room to breathe and removes her hands from his sides. As he catches his breath Skylar cleans up leftover utensils from dinner and tosses it back into the picnic basket.

Footsteps approach their position the grass crunching beneath their feet. “Looks like you two are having fun tonight.” A boy’s voice chuckles and steps into the light. Will. He held Skylar’s lyre in one hand with his guitar on his back. Beside him was Isaac who was holding his hand and carrying a blanket. Pollux gave her a wave his other hand holding a lantern. A blanket of his own tucked under his arm. Nico also accompanied them a thermos clutched between his fingers.  

“All of us were just sitting around since there wasn’t a bonfire tonight. Mind if we join?” Isaac asks gesturing to the ground.

“As if you even have to ask, the more the merrier.” Skylar smiles motioning them forward.

Isaac grins dragging Will over and setting down a blanket for them. The blond handed over the lyre which Skylar places in her lap. Pollux sets down his lantern and unfolds his blanket not too far away. Elliot scurries away from Skylar to sit with Pollux. The two boys instantly break out in conversation. Nico takes his place on the blanket beside Skylar handing her the thermos.

“Neeks if this is coffee I will kiss you on the spot I’m not kidding.” Skylar states cradling the warm container in her arms.

“Hot chocolate. Solace wouldn’t let me bring coffee.” Nico explains as she takes a drink.

“Caffeine is bad before bed!” Will calls from his seat.

“Either way you deserve one for the thought.” Skylar smiles placing a sweet kiss to his lips. Nico’s face flushes but he deepens the sentiment pulling her body closer. He doubted he’d ever get used to Skylar spontaneously kissing him in public.

A wolf whistle comes from behind them and they break apart quickly fighting their flushed cheeks. Fanning her face Skylar turns to see Percy with his arm around Annabeth. Nico’s face visibly falls at sight of them and Skylar squeezes his hand for comfort. He looked ready to bolt. She’s seen him like this when around the couple before but wasn’t sure why.

“Way to ruin the moment waterboy.” Skylar sticks her tongue out a Percy.

“Hey I’m going home soon I need to tease you guys as much as I can before then.” He smirks.

Annabeth elbows him in the side. “Behave yourself for once in your life.” She sighs leading him away from the younger couple to another spot on the hill.

Nico visibly relaxes when they leave turning his gaze to the stars above. Skylar rolls her eyes at her two friends taking another drink from her thermos. Will strums his guitar a few feet away and she takes it as her que to join in. An arm slips loosely around her waist as she plucks at the strings blending the notes in with her brother’s. Isaac is surprisingly the one to lead the sing-a-long. It came as a shock to everyone seeing as he always refused to sing before. Will’s expression was priceless. Once he got over the shock a loving expression donned his features. Isaac blushed at the attention missing a few words but quickly jumped back in.

Halfway through their second song another group wanders over. Skylar could make out Kayla, Austin and Lou Ellen accompanied by another boy. He looked vaguely familiar, possibly from the Hermes cabin. Will seemed to recognize him cause he shouted out ‘Cecil’ then gave the boy a fist bump. Skylar waves to the four of them as they take seats on the grass joining the already large group. Right after Mitchell and Lacy come up the hill and sit near Isaac. A few other campers from various cabins trickled in as time passed including Katie Gardner and the Stoll brothers. Even Clarisse and Chris Rodriguez came to the gathering sitting underneath a large tree.The Apollo cabin kept the music going alternating between players and singers. Some kids sang along while other dragged their friends off the ground to dance. Percy shouts from further down the hill for Skylar do to some fireworks.

Placing her lyre aside Skylar looks uncertainly down at her hands. _I could try but what if something goes wrong? What if I end up setting someone on fire. What if-_ Two cold hands wrap around her own. Looking up she finds herself staring into Nico’s warm brown eyes. He nods encouragingly. _I can’t be afraid. I’m in control of my own power._  

Taking a deep breath Skylar concentrates a ball of light into her palms. Cupping her hands she thrusts the light into the air. The light soars high into the air and explodes. Various bursts of light trickle off the main explosion littering the sky in brilliant red sparkles. The sight is greeted by cheers and whistles making Skylar’s heart swell. One after the other the night sky is filled with fireworks of various shapes and colors. Flowers, arrows, owls, even skulls. Another ball is tossed this one much bigger. With a loud pop it bursts open showering the sky in rainbow particles.

“I love you Skylar Solace.” Nico whispers placing a kiss to her cheek with each word. Tears trickle down her cheeks and he worries he screwed up. This would be the first time they’ve said the words aloud.

“I love you so much Nico di Angelo.” Skylar smiles wiping the happy tears away. Nico sighs in relief cupping her face gently in his hands and pressing a kiss to her lips. She smiles into the kiss and falls backwards onto the blanket pulling the son of Hades with her. Laughter bursts from their lips as they pull away.

“These are the moments I’ll always treasure. The ones spent next to you and with our friends not worrying about monsters or prophecies. Just being regular teenagers.” She whispers to him.

Both of them lay atop the blanket and drink in each other’s warmth. Every once and a while Skylar would point out a constellation and tell Nico. The pronunciations roll fluidly off her tongue despite the slight country drawl. He struggles with it due to his accent coming out. After a few more attempts he’s able to say it perfectly. In turn he teaches her a few basic phrases in Italian. Much like how she was learning Mythomagic, Skylar’s a fast learner. When she utters the words ‘ _ti amo’_ his heart beats faster.

They drowned out the background noise of everyone else. All that mattered was them. The longer they stayed under the stars the more she became aware of just how much she needed this. A night to just throw your cares away. To laugh and sing among friends and loved ones. Skylar Solace felt as if she could take on the world with them by her side.


End file.
